Response from Mr Nick Clare (Individual)
1. Mr Nick Clare (Individual) : 27 Feb 2011 12:59:00
Settlement
Heversham and Leasgill
Map Number
23 Heversham and Leasgill
Site reference number (e.g. R62) - If your comment is about a specific site you must indicate the correct site reference.
R41
Housing
Support in part
Employment
Support in part
Retail
No view
Community uses
No view
Open space
No view
Please explain your reasons
There are a number of reasons why I do not believe it would be appropriate to develop housing on site R41, the land east of the A6 and directly south of Moss Lane.
Public Views into and out of the Conservation Area:
This field directly borders the conservation area in the centre of the village, and development would negatively impact the public views into and out of the conservation area. This would affect views for the vast majority of people who see Heversham from the A6, and also the more panoramic view of the village and Heversham Head from Marsh Road.
Compromise the Character of the Village:
Heversham is a linear settlement, generally set back one field from the A6 main road. Building on R41 would give the impression of urban sprawl and significantly detract from the rural appearance of the village.
Poor Access / Safety Issues:
The proposed access to the R41 site is via Moss Lane. This road is predominantly a one way passage linking the Church with the A6, and cannot support additional traffic. The exit onto the A6 from Moss Lane is dangerous, joining the main road on a fast stretch which is both on a bend and slight rise, thereby reducing visibility and increasing the risk of dangerous accidents. Due to the safety issues, there was a recent proposal for Moss Lane to be one way, leading only in the direction of the Church. The access from Moss Lane onto Church Street is also dangerous, with very limited visibility to the south, given there are almost always parked cars on that immediate stretch of road, and there is no footpath along the village road to the North from that junction. The road also narrows as it passes the Church, so to introduce more traffic to the centre of the village at that point would be dangerous.
We have experienced issues during the winter, when Moss Lane has not been gritted and given the slope, it has on occasions been inaccessible. From Spring through to Autumn, the exit onto the A6 is also increasingly dangerous, due the grasses / vegetation growing either side of the junction, which further reduces the visibility of any oncoming traffic.
In summary, I do not believe that R41 is an appropriate site for any housing development plans, given the issues highlighted above.
Green space and distant views of both countryside and coastline are basic characteristics of Heversham and Leasgill, and any plans for development in the village should take account of this. Building should be on a needs basis only, given there are few brown field sites available, and greater emphasis should be put on reducing the number of largely empty second homes, rather that building on green field sites in rural locations.
Do you think that your area needs new or improved community facilities? If so, what sort of facilities and where?
Please explain the types of improved and/or new community facilities your community may need in the next 15 years
I believe there needs to be greater emphasis on pedestrian and cycle links for the village and surrounding area. It is a concern to me when either walking my children to school or cycling in / around the village, that there is a large amount of traffic and we have had issues with the speed at which some buses and cars travel though the village.
