Devizes residents' fury over closure (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Devizes residents' fury over closure

8:36am Thursday 5th November 2009

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Residents have reacted angrily to plans by housing developers to close Quakers Walk for six months.

Campaigners said the closure was totally unexpected as they understood the developers were planning to fence off sections of the historic tree lined bridleway but maintain access for walkers while sewer pipes were laid.

But Wiltshire Council, on behalf of the developers Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon, have advertised the six month closure of Quakers Walk from its junction near Quakers Lodge to its junction with Roundway Park from November 23.

Dog walker Sylvia Cordaiy, of Rotherstone, said: “I think what the developers are doing is absolutely outrageous and sinister. It’s a public right of way. I walk along it a couple of times a day.”

Ramblers Mavis Watts, of Colston Road, and Monica Ayliffe, of Sedgefield Gardens, were equally dismayed. Mrs Watts said: “It’s well used by walkers and cyclists. Why can’t the developers let us walk on the field by the side of Quakers Walk?”

Philippa Morgan, of Victoria Road, and co-ordinator of the Quakers Walk Protection Group, said: “The closure is going against what we were told by the developers’ at consultation meetings and it is very disappointing so early in the development process. Hundreds of people use Quakers Walk and we want to access throughout the work to monitor what is happening to the tree roots.”

Sarah Cowley, of Roundway village and a member of The Trust for Devizes, said: “This closure seems completely unwarranted. In the consultation for the planning applications it was agreed that Quakers Walk would remain open.”

Laura Mayes, Wiltshire councillor for Roundway, said: “A six month closure is outrageous and we must find alternatives to a full closure. The developer has made the application to close Quakers Walk without any discussion with Wiltshire Council.”

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey, which is building the access road into the housing site, said: “We have applied to close the Quakers Walk bridleway for six months to lay a rising main down the middle of the walk in order to avoid damaging the tree roots lining it.

“This work was stipulated in our original planning application and we are arranging a meeting with a representative of the Quakers Walk Protection Group.”

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