Response from Mr & Mrs Mike & Ann Blezard (Individual)
1. Mr & Mrs Mike & Ann Blezard (Individual) : 17 Jul 2017 13:15:00
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Arnside - Hollins Lane A8/A9
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A lane, in one of the generally accepted meanings of the word, is narrow and often bounded by hedges, walls or fences. Such lanes, in urban areas, are rare and need to be protected from too much change. Hollins Lane currently meets this definition in the section bounded by the wall and hedge of this A8/A9 proposal, and if adopted, just over half of this would disappear and the lane would be considerably widened. The character of the lane would disappear and there would be a loss of wildlife habitat. Also the current field holds sheep and gives a rural feel to the environment. All over the country, in towns and villages, every little plot of green land is being built on, with little thought to the change in character of the habitation. Arnside has a certain uniqueness and should be careful it does not lose this.
This section of the lane is only wide enough for one vehicle. Two vehicles can only pass if they do this very slowly and carefully and are able to use driveways at any point in the lane.If the proposed 14 homes were built then there could be about 28 owners cars plus service traffic accessing Hollins Lane and we think this could significantly increase the danger to pedestrians. Apart from local use, Hollins Lane is used as a shortcut (sat. nav. prompted) to and from the Silverdale Road and often pedestrians have to dodge into a drive to get out of the way of a car going at speed. Pedestrian use is not only by local adults and children, but by walkers heading for Arnside Knott.
Our suggestion is that Hollins Lane should be closed to motorised traffic near the point where the lane meets Plantation Avenue. This closure need only be for a few metres, enough to ensure that the lane could no longer be used as a viable short cut to Silverdale Road. A narrower entrance to the development could be provided, allowing a considerably longer stretch of wall and hedge to be preserved. Vehicular access to A8/A9 would only be possible from the Silverdale Road, allowing the residents of Hollins Lane from this road, down to the house called “Sandpiper”, to have safer access to their homes. The rest of Hollins Lane would also become safer for pedestrians and cyclists because only drivers with a need to be on the lane would use it.
Hollins lane appears to have only two drain holes in its entire length, both near to the junction with Plantation Avenue. A8/A9 will significantly impact surface water drainage into and from the lane. During normal rainfall, water runs down the upper part of Hollins lane and if it misses the two drain holes, it continues to flow down Hollins on the east side of the road, possibly impacting all the houses on that side, in the event of an exceptional downpour. There is a public combined sewer running down part of the lane, and if it is the intention to use this for surface drainage, without modification, for A8/A9, then it is essential that the water company will guarantee that it is fit for this purpose. We bought our house on Hollins Lane this year and noted that the water company did not answer a search question as to whether our house is at risk of internal flooding due to overloaded public sewers.
We understand that 14 houses are proposed for the development plot and this seems to be a high density when compared with existing housing to the east and the west of the plot. The visual impact could be significant.
New public open space is to be welcomed but we would suggest that there should be some public debate about its use and maintenance. There would need to be a physical barrier to vehicular access to the Public Open Space, and thought given to improving wildlife habitats (e.g. more hedges and trees) as well as an area for children.
