Something sinister in Bollington?

The proposal to demolish the old Waggon & Horses (Bay Leaf Restaurant) on Wellington Road in Bollington unleashed a firestorm of opposition from many who live, work or just pass through Bollington.

The vast majority of objections related to the dangerous conditions this scheme would present to pedestrians and motorists alike if permitted to go ahead.

It now appears that the scheme has been quietly revised – presumably to make it more palatable – although to whom is the question.

The matter was originally scheduled to come before Cheshire East planners at a meeting in November. This was subsequently postponed until December, then re-arranged yet again for January – giving the developers more time to revise their plans?

Bollington Town Council have declared their opposition to the scheme and asked Cheshire East’s Northern Planning Committee to reject the application.

However, recently, following a series of questions regarding the space allocated for deliveries, plans detailing revisions have appeared on the Bollington Town Council website: http://www.bollington-tc.gov.uk/news/post/bayleaf-lounge-planning-application

These show a service bay (for unloading/loading) plus three new ‘uncontrolled’ pedestrian crossings – which don’t appear as part of the applicants ‘official’ application.

The whole scheme appears to have become even more insane – as the independent report compiled by consultants Singleton Clamp several years ago when the then Macclesfield Borough Council debated putting a single pedestrian crossing there – wholly condemned the scheme. Singleton Clamp’s conclusion was that it would be highly undesirable and potentially dangerous – owing to the limited sight lines, bus stop and weight of traffic to install just one crossing.

They’re now suggesting three – uncontrolled!

Uncontrolled crossings would be even more dangerous than controlled ones so where’s the rationale in that?

Bollington Town Council’s own traffic survey indicated very low traffic volumes but our own impromptu survey, shot over a random 4.5 minute period, proves beyond doubt that Bollington Council’s figures were flawed.

I’m guessing that Cheshire East’s Highways department have used Bollington TC’s figures rather than the ‘true’ figures evident from the video.

The document on Bollington TC’s website also indicates that the proposed delivery bay will accommodate a 26 ton, 11.5m length, 2.6 m width ‘rigid’ vehicle – note that the truck specification they use is from 2012.

Sainsbury’s delivery fleet currently comprises 26 – 36 ton articulated vehicles which can be up to 12 metres long in rigid form or up to 16.5 metres if articulated.

The designated bay in the revised ‘plans’ would therefore be incapable of providing room for such vehicles without creating a major traffic hazard. It does appear that the developers may have used erroneous vehicle data to justify their plans.

And, bear in mind, there could be one wagon waiting on the roadside to take the place of one already in the single bay.

Curiously this document doesn’t appear on the original planning application in Cheshire East’s planning portal: http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/planning/view_a_planning_application/view_a_planning_application.aspx (if you want to access the documents the planning reference is 15/3674M).

As this document purports to vindicate the scheme – why not?

Why are Cheshire East’s Highways department still approving this scheme when so many questions have been raised as to it’s safety.

It’s inevitable to everyone that lives in the area that if this scheme goes ahead ‘uncontrolled’ crossings would prove disastrous.

Should that happen conversion to controlled crossings will rapidly follow – along with the extension of double yellow, no parking, road markings.

This will effectively kill the businesses that have been situated here for many years.

The ‘gain’ of a few jobs at a new (yet apparently unwanted) Sainsburys could turn into the loss of local businesses, owned and run by local people – that contribute positively to the local economy – and a loss of jobs for Bollington folk.

The losses to the local economy would be much greater than any implied gains.

It’s been suggested to me (I think they were joking) that brown paper envelopes are being passed around. I couldn’t possibly comment on that – but I do know that this scheme stinks.

I really do hope it’s only the drains in Sandbach and Bollington causing the stench and not something more sinister.