RESIDENTS opposing a large housing proposal in Malvern Link have claimed the land owners have already admitted the main road next to the site is not safe.
Ron Harris, of the Malvern Link Forum, said Madresfield Estates which occupies the earmarked plot opposite The New Inn, once tried to buy land from the front of residents’ homes on Lower Howsell Road, to straighten out the highway and address fears about the ‘blind bend’.
He added the issue was the reason the district council threw out a housing application in 1993 and since then the traffic had only got worse.
Mr Harris, of Summerfield Road, claimed Madresfield Estates’ move to buy the extra land, which was turned down by residents at the time, was a clear admission Lower Howsell Road was not fit for the access of a large development.
“What has changed since 1993?” he said. “Has our traffic safety lapsed? There are more cars now than ever before, North Site has been built since and the roads are 100 times busier than they were then. Madresfield Estates have already admitted Lower Howsell Road is dangerous, why would it be any different now?
“They are just going ahead 20 years on hoping everyone has forgotten. Well we haven’t.”
In response a spokesman from Harris Lamb, working as consultants for Madresfield Estates, said they were in contact with Worcestershire Highways officers regarding the issue.
“Highways officers will be commenting on the access we are proposing and we will certainly be looking to satisfy them in terms of visibility for entering and leaving the site,” he said.
“Standards have changed since 1993 which was quite a while ago. We will be looking to satisfy present day highway standards.”
He confirmed a formal application for the site, which has been earmarked for up to 110 homes, would be submitted to the district council before the end of the year.
Mr Harris urged anyone opposed to the proposals to contact him at [email protected] or on 07786 990094 to sign a petition or help rally other residents to the cause.
He has also reminded people to keep two dates free next week – Monday (July 28) when the group will meet at 7pm at The New Inn and Thursday (July 31) when as many residents as possible are invited to join a public demonstration at 7pm on the field.
Visit www.harrislamb.com to find out more about submitting formal feedback to the developer.
