Residents shocked after consultation on Quakers Walk (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Residents shocked after consultation on Quakers Walk

2:31pm Tuesday 20th May 2008 in News By Lewis Cowen

THERE were shocks in store on Monday night for campaigners trying to save the ancient bridleway of Quakers Walk.

They heard at a second consultation event at Devizes Sports Club that developers intend to tear up the surface of the walk to lay sewage pipes to serve the 244 homes they want to build on land between there and London Road.

And, despite repeated calls not to carry out improvements such as resurfacing work and street lighting, they were told officers at Kennet District Council and Wiltshire County Council were insistent these were completed.

Glenn Godwin of Pegasus Planning Group, retained by developers Persimmon and George Wimpey to carry out a consultation exercise before detailed plans are submitted to Kennet, said they had been criticised for underestimating the strength of feeling at the first consultation event on April 21.

So a second one was arranged with a properly organised forum, chaired by Mervyn Dobson of Pegasus.

Mr Godwin said that, although they had taken in the message that local people would rather nothing was done to Quakers Walk, council officers insisted the improvements were carried out for safety reasons.

But the biggest shock of the evening came when one local resident, having seen contractors digging in Quakers Walk, asked if it was true that sewage pipes were to be laid under it.

Christopher Isherwood of Pegasus confirmed this was the case and that the work could take up to six months. A narrow trench had been dug on Quakers Walk and it was found to be clear of tree roots so that no damage would be done to trees.

The sewage and surface water drainage pipes would go down to the canal to join mains sewerage there.

Mr Isherwood said that the works would be properly fenced off and that access along Quakers Walk would still be possible.

Although there was some discussion over the layout of the proposed development, most concern was expressed over the future of Quakers Walk itself.

Local resident Alice Boyd questioned whether the four-metre-high Victorian style street lights planned for the lower end of Quakers Walk indeed result in more safety for walkers at night.

She said: "There would be pockets of light surrounded by darkness and night vision would be seriously impaired. Fear of crime is a greater factor than crime itself and this would feed that fear."

There was also concern over the plan to open the gates at the canal end of the walk and erect bollards to prevent motorised traffic using it.

But many felt the opposite would happen and it would become a rat run for motorbikes and scooters.

A detailed planning application is likely to be submitted in June and county councillor Margaret Taylor urged those at the meeting to lobby all members of Kennet's planning committee.

She said: "Councillors from all over Kennet sit on that planning committee. It is always an uphill battle to put Devizes' point of view across. It is why this piece of land was put in the local plan in the first place.

"Get hold of the names of those councillors and try and convince them."

If you would like to write to members of Kennet District Council's regulatory committee, who will decide whether to grant planning permission to Persimmon and George Wimpey for the Quakers Walk development, their addresses are below or click on their name to send an email.

Ken Beard 17 Perham Crescent, Ludgershall, SP11 9NL

Philip Brown (chairman), Rose Cottage, Berhills Lane, Rowde, Devizes SN10 1ST

Stewart Dobson, Upper Cross, Cardigan Road, Marlborough SN8 1LB

Tony Duck, 11 Maryport Street, Devizes SN10 1AH

Susan Findlay, Hope Cottage, Crowood Lane, Ramsbury, Marlborough SN8 2PU

Richard Gamble, (vice chairman) 3 Duck Street, West Lavington, Devizes SN10 4LG

Lionel Grundy, Ammonite House, Coxhill Lane, Potterne, Devizes SN10 5PH

Charles Howard, Brunton House, Brunton, Collingbourne Kingston, Marlborough SN8 3SE

Chris Humphries, Southill Farm, Marlborough Road, Aldbourne, Marlborough SN8 2DD

Jerry Kunkler, The Moonrakers Inn, High Street, Pewsey SN9 5AF

Laura Mayes, 48 Roundway (Village), Devizes SN10 2HX

Ray Parsons, Roosters Rest, 88a Hillworth Road, Devizes SN10 5HD

Gretchen Rawlins, The Chalet, Rawlins Park, Avebury, Marlborough SN8 1RQ

Jonathon Seed, Wayside, Chittoe Heath, Bromham SN15 2EH

Alan Wood , Orchard House, Fittleton, Salisbury SP4 9QA