Agenda item

A petition with 120 signatures from Peter and Rachel Aspinall on behalf of the Barry Drive residents will be presented. The petition requests a public consultation on traffic issues facing residents of the Barry Drive Estate, Kirby Muxloe.

 

“We the undersigned residents of Kirby Muxloe call upon our elected representatives Councillors Richard Blunt, Tony Greenwood and Chris Frost to petition Blaby District Council to call on the Council to initiate a judicial review into their perverse decision to grant planning permission for Taylor Wimpey’s planning application number 14/0917/1/0X at Barry Close/Barry Drive, Kirby Muxloe.

 

We the undersigned residents of Kirby Muxloe call upon Councillors Tony Greenwood, Chris Frost and all our Local Councillors for the Parish Council to offer financial support to Kirby Muxloe Residents Action Group to apply for a judicial review.

 

The safety of the residents of the Barry Drive Estate is already threatened at the Barry Close access and also along the rat run from the A47 Hinckley/Maytree Drive Junction, into Cherrytree Avenue, Barbara Avenue, Barry Drive and Station Road.  Once the Lubbesthorpe New Town has been built.  In the next two years a minimum of 2000 cars will exit at the Beggars Lane/A47 junction many opting to use the rat run down Maytree Drive.

 

This will create a dangerous and chaotic situation and threatens the quality of life of local residents.  Please give us the support we need.”

The Chairman agreed to take the petition at this point on the agenda due to the lead petitioner and Councillors who were in attendance.

 

A petition containing 120 signatures from Peter and Rachel Aspinall on behalf of the Barry Drive residents was presented.  The petition requests a public consultation on traffic issues facing residents of the Barry Drive Estate, Kirby Muxloe.

 

The Chairman asked Peter Aspinall if he would like to speak in support of his petition and Mr Aspinall agreed that he would.

 

Mr Aspinall confirmed that he had brought in a full copy of the petition, together with supporting letters and information.  The Chairman formally accepted the petition and supporting information and advised Mr Aspinall that he could present his case and the information would then be investigated by officers and would be responded to at the next Highway Forum on 13th June 2017, or if there was any information available before this this would be sent to those involved.

 

Mr Aspinall stated that he was requested a full public consultation on the dangerous traffic issues around Barry Drive, Kirby Muxloe.  He raised concerns about the new developments (residential and industrial) in the surrounding areas which will result in an increase in traffic in that area.

 

Cllr E F White DC stated that he felt that as a Councillor he felt he was being asked to do something he didn’t think he had the power to do.  The Chairman asked officers to check the legality of the petition as part of their investigations.

 

Mr Aspinall took Members through the background to this petition and discussed the findings of a Quantity Surveyor’s report concerning the number of lorry movements per day through this junction. 

 

Mr Aspinall discussed a previous request for traffic calming which he felt would have been funded from a S106 agreement with regard to the Lubbesthorpe development which was refused.

 

Mr Aspinall requested a full public consultation which would include the Police who had advised that they had not been previously consulted.

 

The Chairman stated that the three Councillors who had been named on the petition were Cllr Blunt who wasn’t at the meeting, Cllr Greenwood and Cllr Frost and he asked if they would like to speak.

 

Cllr Greenwood stated that the first application was passed by Blaby District Council and was appealed against which eventually went to the High Court which was refused with costs awarded against the council.  The second application concerned a rights of way issue and was under a separate application with a separate reference.  Cllr Greenwood stated that he had very strong views about officers being referred to by name at meetings, especially those not in attendance.

 

 

Cllr Greenwood went on to explain the second application referred to was the removal of a double garage and had a separate application number.

 

Cllr Greenwood stated that as Members of the Kirby Muxloe Parish Council he understands why this has been raised by Mr Aspinall as his daughter lives in the area and has a lot of knowledge of the area.

 

Cllr Greenwood advised that he was going to take legal advice and follow the constitution guidance on whether the Kirby Muxloe Parish Council can be involved financially in supporting this Resident’s Action Group.

 

Cllr Frost informed Members that in the petition it refers to the Barry Drive estate rat-run and went on to give details of the trap conflict at the T-junction with Barry Drive.  He went on to say that the S106 monies for traffic calming was not wanted locally and proposed that the cheaper option would be to stop traffic coming onto Maytree Drive from Hinckley Road.   He was concerned that this was being ignored and as traffic increases this will eventually be the only option. He felt that the local residents were getting frustrated thinking that the County Council are not acting in their best interests.

 

Cllr Frost stated that an elderly lady had recently been knocked down and is currently on crutches and had contacted the Parish Council asking what was going to be done about the situation.  He is also aware of some near misses.  He reiterated that residents do not want speed humps and he also feels they are not good for the environment and would like the County Council to offer another solution. 

 

Cllr J Dickinson CC asked for further clarification on the Rights of Way application discussed by Cllr Greenwood.  Cllr Greenwood gave further details on this application which was around the demolition of the bungalow and double garage and its interference with the public Rights of Way and stated that this had yet to be approved and the confusion was caused as this came in before the 1st application had been approved. 

 

The Chairman thanked those who had spoken in support of the petition and formally accepted the petition, advising Members that officers will bring a report in response to this petition back to the next meeting but should a response be available before then this would be sent out.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

i)          That the update of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted; and

ii)         that the petition will be formally presented and responded to at the next meeting, officers to check the legality of the petition as part of their investigations.