FAMILIES are up in arms over proposals to allow construction traffic to use a Marlborough estate for access while a new care home is built.

The residents of St Margarets Mead plan to turn out in force at a special parish meeting on July 1 at 7pm in the youth centre to voice their concerns.

They fear their lives will be disrupted and their children put at risk if the construction traffic for the proposed new Coombe End House uses their road, which has been dubbed the largest cul-de-sac in the Kennet district.

The present 30-bed residential home adjacent to the Mead is to be replaced with a building more than twice the size.

Cardiff-based developer Castleoak Construction Healthcare plans to build the new home behind the existing one to minimise disruption for residents.

Once the new home is completed for the Order of St John Care Trust the old building will be demolished. Last week residents in St Margarets Mead learned that talks had taken place between the developer and the town council about using their street for access to the construction site.

The main entrance to Combe End House is off the A4 London Road.

In a letter to the town council, Castleoak's commercial director Simon Greenstreet referred to a meeting held with councillors and said: "I hope the presentation conveyed the main reason for our request which was the health and safety issues surrounding the access and egress of construction traffic to the new site."

People living in the Mead said they were unaware the developer was giving a presentation to the town council on May 17 and were not consulted or invited.

School janitor Peter Hands said: "We only found out about it last week. No-one bothered to come and tell us what they were proposing or ask us if we minded all this traffic passing our homes."

Retired care worker Jenny Clarke said families living in the Mead had not been asked for their comments on the building design and its proximity to homes or told of the intention to take construction traffic through the estate.

One resident told the town council's meeting on Monday that the access road into the estate had been built when there were only 24 homes. Today there are more than 300 homes.

Castleoak hopes to persuade the town council to allow it to build a temporary access road across the eastern end of the recreation ground. That will involve relocating the skateboard ramp and driving in and through the youth centre car park.

In its letter to the town council, Castleoak said it had already agreed a wayleave with the county council to use the access to the youth club and part of the car park.

However Coun Richard Allen, who represents the town council on the youth centre management committee, told Monday's meeting that staff and members of the youth club had concerns over the proposal.

Coun Allen supported a proposal from mayor Graham Francis for a special meeting at which residents could express their fears directly to the representatives from the developers.

Coun Allen said: "This work will be continuing for some 15 months and it is most important that members of the community can have their say."

He said he believed that having the construction traffic using a residential street would be far more dangerous than an access from the London Road.

Coun David Parker said there was no time for delay because it was intended to start work on the new Coombe End House in four weeks' time.

Coun Nick Fogg said it would be essential to have representatives from the county Highways Department present to discuss safety issues.

Castleoak says it will pay for a temporary access across the playing field.