On 1 June, the Parish Council got together with representatives from St John’s School and local District Cllr, Malcolm Johnson, to persuade EHDC’s Planning Committee of the merits of various proposed changes to the access into the new ‘Oaklands II’ development off Whichers Gate Road (WGR). The Council emphasised the need for an off-set roundabout in WGR, rather than a plain T-junction to access the development, thereby slowing through traffic and allowing easier access from the development. This should also reduce noxious emissions from vehicles waiting to exit the development at busy times. In addition, the School requested the scrapping of the proposed footway between the development access road and the school’s main entrance to discourage parking in the access road during school drop-off and pick-up, and parents and children using the main (staff car park) entrance rather than the alternative and safer existing access points. The EHDC Planning Committee supported these proposals and it looks more probable that our requests for change may come to fruition. Promising dialogue is now taking place between EHDC, Wyg Planning and Bellway Homes. It was also made a condition of the planning permission that residents of the Old School Development will have a substantial wall, instead of a fence, to delineate their properties from the new development.
