Response from Mrs Margaret Brown (Individual)
1. Mrs Margaret Brown (Individual) : 3 Jul 2008 15:22:00
Please write your comment or explain your reasons for supporting or opposing this part of the Report. You may also wish to refer to the tests of soundess in the glossary of the Preferred Options document before making your comments.
Site 4
Access:
Access to this site from Woodhouse lane is very limited and not realistic for such a large scale build. However as I understand that land can be made available by compulsory purchase I assume that a new road could be built with access from Haveflatts Lane linking directly to the main road therefore this problem would be overcome .
Environment.
It is obvious that the building of any houses on this site would destroy the open views to the Morecambe Bay estuary, the public footpaths over this land would become simply a walkway through an housing estate. Further the noise and co2 pollution in respect of the bay would surely have an adverse effect on the wildlife which the bay supports. Indeed the building that is intended for the whole of the Morecambe Bay area will totally decimate the largely unspoiled natural beauty of this renowned area. As for the poor unfortunate ratepayers living on Woodhouse Lane there is no need to comment on the devastation that this dispraportionate large scale build would cause. Should the core strategy go ahead as planned Heversham and Leasgill would become merely a suburb of Milnthorpe, an enormous housing estate with all the social problems that we know this can present.
Infrastructure
Heversham and Leasgill have:-
no shops the nearest being more than 1.5 km away in Milnthorpe.
no doctors dentists or opticians the nearest being more than 1.5 km away in Milnthorpe.
There are schools, the primary school would certainly not be able to accommodate more pupils and certainly not as many as this large scale build would afford. The nearest schools therefore would all be more than 1.5km away in Milnthorpe, however as we have not been privy to any of the plans which surely must be in existence regarding the building of new schools roads etc I must assume that these problems would also be resolved within Leasgill or Heversham at the expense of this residential rural environment.
Employment.
There are no possibilities at present for employment in Heversham and Leasgill as this is a purely a residential village, therefore employment would need to be created for any expansion to the population and this is designated in Milnthorpe , see below.
Transport
At present a double deck bus perilously weaves its way through the narrow village and with an influx upwards of approx another 230 people all needing to get to Milnthorpe for doctors, dentists opticians etc certainly we would need extra bus services to accommodate this. Should they choose to use their own means of transport i.e.; cars (bicycles would not be a healthy option) then I point out again that the added co2 and importantly noise pollution to this rural village and surrounding area would need to be taken in to account not to mention the added traffic congestion.
Milnthorpe will have to have some very large car parks to support its expanding population !
Site 3b Leasgill
Access
This site is accessed from the narrow village road with its limited parking problems , especially at school times and also the bus that trundles dangerously through the village, hourly. Its only other access is from Princes Way an extremely fast and busy trunk road. Neither of the sites could be made more accessible and would be a dangerous option for young families. Also depending on the nature of the build any roads connecting Princes Way to the village road could create a dangerous “rat run” through the village and its surrounding country lanes.
Environment
The older properties of Heversham and Leasgill (excepting for the sixth form college house) begin at just before the church and any houses built in this area should reflect the surrounding environment. A small build on this site would be preferable to a large one which would destroy this rural residential area. Low rise housing would not intrude at this site and a careful sympathetic build could be acceptable in this part of Leasgill.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure would probably support a small number of houses built on this site, however all points made for site 4 would apply here should the build be larger than approx 10 homes.
Employment
There is no facility for employment in Leasgill except at the schools.
Transport
Any build would add to the transport problem in Leasgill and Heversham and would need careful planning to avoid more congestion especially with regards to extra parking facilities. But again this could be overcome by limiting the number of properties built on this site.
Site 3A
Access
Access to this site would have to be from the village road (old A6) or more dangerously from Princess Way at a point which is renowned for serious accidents.
Environment
Points made previously would apply here.
Infrastructure
Points made previously would apply here.
Employment
Points previously made would apply here.
Transport
Because of the dangerous access to this site traffic lights at the very least would have to be implemented this would cause congestion both on the trunk road and the village road (old A6)
Added traffic at this location would cause serious problems.
What change(s) would you suggest for this part of the Report?
I consider that the area between Milnthorpe and Holme would cause far less devastation to the local people and environment, it is less densely populated and it is flat land making any building easier and cheaper. Access to this area could be performed much less cruelly than it will need to be for Heversham and Leasgill it is closer to Milnthorpe and to the M6 for commuters and it would also have less effect on local traffic congestion. New roads could be constructed which would be much safer than adapting the narrow village roads in Heversham and Leasgill. This is a large area where the infrastructure needed could more easily be created.
Morecambe Bay and its close surrounding area should be supported and preserved by SLDC for future generations to enjoy, enough building has already taken place in this area any more will destroy its natural peace and great beauty and most certainly will have a detrimental effect on its wildlife.