Row over plan to narrow main road

A PROPOSED chalet bungalow behind Barnhorn Road has stirred up heated feelings among residents along the busy A259.

The problem is not the building itself but the idea of narrowing the main Little Common trunk road to improve visibility at the junction with Kites Nest Walk.

Letters of objection and a petition signed by nearly 50 residents have gone to planners.

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The application by Orchard Estates (UK) Ltd had warranted little interest until residents realised last weekend the proposed kerb alignment was not within the private close but where it met Barnhorn Road.

Mr Malcolm Joel and many of his neighbours have labelled the idea as folly.

"To consider narrowing the A259 at that particular point would be dangerous."

He said if the proposal to re-align the entrance went ahead it would reduce the width of the road to the minimum 7.3 metres.

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He spoke to the Highways Agency who said such a proposal was "unthinkable" but the next day was told by the agency that it was considering the application.

"How they can even consider it is beyond belief," he said.

Residents' concerns had been expressed to every Rother councillor, he said.

Another neighbour, Ed Walker, said he had written to the Highways Agency, Rother council and the police. It was not a case of "nimby" (not in my backyard) over the development.

"I feel very passionate about this," said another protester who did not wish to give her name. She said she had no problem with a house being built in the proposed position but the problem lay with "the proposed dangerous changes to the A259".

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All agreed that re-aligning the junction would not increase visibility at that point - already the view was better than emerging from many of their driveways.

Her fear was that the inconspicuous gradual narrowing of Barnhorn Road by over a metre would take drivers by surprise when they suddenly found there was insufficient room for two vehicles to pass.

Residents pointed to lorries and buses which were already having to straddle the centre road markings, especially as several cars were parked along the road, although their wheels were half on the pavement.

The speed limit on Barnhorn Road at that point is 30mph, but they said users travelled at much higher speeds and over 50mph was commonplace.

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"I am fiercely opposed to the narrowing of Barnhorn Road, which in itself would be unwise and dangerous, for the benefit of a house being built in another road," she said. "Improvements to the kerbage cannot be an improvement to the A259. You can't see any further."

She said the application affected every user of Barnhorn Road, be it pedestrian, driver or passenger, whose safety would be compromised.

Mr Joel described the application as a surreptitious way of getting it passed by the council and if agreed could open up further development behind Kites Nest Walk. He points to several previous applications which have so far been refused.

An appeal was dismissed by an inspector in April last year because visibility at the junction should be 2.4metres by 70metres but was only two metres by 28 metres.

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Roger Scott, development control manager for Rother council, said a decision had not been made yet as to whether the application would be dealt with under delegated powers.

A previous application was refused on the site and visibility was one of the main reasons.

The proposed re-alignment which involved a build out into Barnhorn Road in order to improve visibility was a matter the Highways Agency may or may not accept.

"If we get an objection from the Highways Agency, it may be refused under delegated powers but if we are going to support the application, in view of interest shown it would go before the planning committee on May 18."

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