8 Pinewood Close Ashton With Stodday Lancaster 28 July 2015

Red Planning Application 15/00600/OUT

I have recently become aware of the above development application. I believe such a proposal should be rejected for the following reasons:

The current road is already well used by traffic coming into and out of Lancaster and in my view cannot support an increase in traffic such a development will generate. It is narrow in places and there is a recurring problem with vehicles traveling at speeds in excess of the limit. Additionally the are 3 side roads joining the road, and in the case of my road and the next one to the water treatment wo rks the drivers visibility is badly impaired if you are exiting from one of these roads. The road is used no t only by cars and vans but also by Tankers going to the treatment works, large lorries going down to and Large Tractors often hauling wide trailers. It is also used by Double Deck buses and Coaches ferrying children to Ripley Academy.It is no t easy to pass some of these large vehicles even when going in the opposite direction. The Buses and Coaches have difficulty in maneuvering around the roundabout at Caspian way.. Vehicles are often parked outside Albert Cottages and De Vitre Cottages rendering that part of the Road effectively single track. A new development will exacerbate the existing difficulties.

Access from the A6 to Ashford Road is via a very narrow road at the traffic lights at the Boot and Shoe Pub. There is really only just space for two cars to pass one another. There is already congestion at this point and some drivers get very aggressive and do not follow the right of way signs. This will get significantly wo rse as more vehicles try to use it for access. Vehicles could of course travel along through either to Bridge Road or the Pointer Roundabout, but anyone who uses this road knows ho w heavily it is congested no w. Adding even more traffic is to an already poor situation is no nsensical.

There is currently no bus service from Ashton Road to the nearest shops which are in Scotforth. The only bus ro ute to Pinewood Close is the 89 which runs to Knott End but that runs only every two hours and does not run late.

Currently driving in from is a pleasant experience. One can get very close to the City and yet still feel one is in the Country. The proposed development will destroy this wonderful visual effect. Just look at coming into Lancaster on the A6 and the eyesore the Council have allowed to happen at the old water treatment works. What a poor advertisement that is to what is a lovely city.

There is surely enough brownfield sites available around the City which can be utilized for housing wi thout having to desecrate greenfield sites.

There is also the question of where the population growth is coming from to generate and occupy the projected houses. We already have a lot of shops in the City which are vacant, the development along the no rthern corridor near the Grand Theatre did not gain approval. There appear to be plenty of homes available for sale or rent. The council needs to look very carefully at these objections and in my view reject the application. Harry Smith