Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/046

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704/Ralph Green, Officer – Noticing & Scheduling Tel: (01865) 815816

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE8).

The report presents responses to a statutory consultation to introduce a traffic calming chicane at Sydenham proposed by Sydenham Parish Council, who have undertaken to fund the project subject to approval being given to proceed with the scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed introduction of a traffic calming chicane at Sydenham as advertised.

To approve the design of the scheme in principle while requiring the positioning of the 2 build outs to be moved as far as possible but at least 5 metres from the access to Slade Farm. Officers to meet representatives on site. 

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE8) responses to a statutory consultation to introduce a traffic calming chicane at Sydenham proposed and funded by Sydenham Parish Council.

Tara Glenof Slade Farm which was located on Sydenham Road objected to the proposed location of the chicane and as a private local resident felt extremely concerned that a decision could be made that would significantly and adversely affect her current situation. The chicane approximately 20m from the only access to her home and on the opposite side of the road to the gate to the farm would create serious access problems into and out of the farm. As a resident of the village she fully supported traffic calming measures on Sydenham Road, just not in the exact location proposed. She advised that contrary to the report she was not operating a business but the equestrian and farming activities undertaken at her home were not run as a business. There had been a farm on this location in excess of 80 years and it had always only had this one access point from Sydenham Road. The proposed location of the chicane would make it impossible for her to access with her horsebox, let alone take receipt of regular feed deliveries or allow access to the necessary farm contractors needed to maintain the farm, from one direction and she had offered to demonstrate this but had not been contacted by anyone.  She did not agree with the officer report that the proposed chicane was far enough away not to be a factor and attempts to turn into the farm with the horse box while trying to avoid the point where the proposed chicane would be located had not been possible. She noted that the report suggested that the chicane could be moved a further 3m away but that was still not far enough away to alleviate the problem of being able to turn into her home. She proposed that the chicane could be moved to the opposite side of the road so as not to cause an obstruction for  lorries or farm vehicles needing to turn into the farm whereas if it was installed in either the proposed location or the alternative location 3m from that, she would be forced when in a horsebox to turn one way out of the farm, adding 13 miles to each journey. Also feed companies could refuse to deliver to the farm with farming contractors also forced to make an additional 13 mile detour (6 ½ miles in one direction) none of which was environmentally beneficial, contributing an additional 12.26kg of CO2 to the atmosphere per journey and, in addition to the significant detour, all that traffic, which would usually travel the 400m from my farm gate to the B4445, would be forced through the heart of the village of Sydenham which was only single track in places. She did not accept that it was right to restrict a resident’s access to their own home in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25