Work on a much-needed Reaseheath A51 bypass promised as part of the massive 1,100-home Kingsley Fields development, is at least three years away.
Reaseheath College Principal Meredydd David told concerned residents that work on the bypass is not due to start until the third year of the development.
Mr David met residents last night (September 11) to show the college’s “2014 Masterplan” and how it intends to expand and develop the campus.
But this is tied in to the sale of a large swathe of green land for housing development north west of Nantwich town centre, including homes, shops, business units and possibly a new school.
This sale is designed to provide millions of pounds Reaseheath College needs to expand and develop its campus.
The land and was cited by Cheshire East Council in the new Local Plan as a preferred site for housing over the Muller Homes “Nantwich South” proposals in Stapeley.
But residents last night voiced their concern over the development and disappointment at the delay to the bypass.
They say have been calling for a relief road for years to remove traffic thundering along the A51 through The Green and the front of the college.
Vicky Higham, one of about 25 residents at the meeting, said: “When this was first mooted they said before any building they’d have to do the bypass.
“Three years is disappointing. It’s the same old issues.”
Another resident Jonathan Bradley added: “The delay is unfair. The fact is that lives are at risk now. Not just residents but motorists and visitors.”
Mr Bradley made this video (below) two years ago which shows the traffic problems, and urging for the bypass to be built.
However, Mr David denied ever promising the bypass would begin before the housing development was underway.
He told the meeting: “I have never said that, I wouldn’t. Money for the bypass is coming from landowners, and will cost about £4 million.
“But developers have to sell some homes first before they can release the funds. It could take around 300 house sales before the full funds for the bypass are available.
“So the bypass is down to be built in the third year of the development (2017-18)”
He did promise to push Cheshire East for tighter speeding restrictions on both the A51 at Reaseheath and Worleston Road.
Other residents raised concerns about how near the new houses on Kingsley Fields would be to existing ones along the current A51, and about works traffic accessing development sites.
Mr David revealed that the landowners, developers and Cheshire East Council are on the verge of signing off a Section 106 agreement to complete the deal.
The Section 106 will include money for other highways improvements, including the A51/A500 roundabouts at Sainsbury’s and Cheerbrook, the Bluestone traffic lights, and a new connector road through the development between Waterlode the the A51 at Reaseheath.
“The local authority is comfortable with the agreement,” added Mr Meredydd.
“This will be signed off very soon. Detailed plans will be submitted by house developers in January or February, and I envisage building work starting in summer 2015.
“The sooner the better for us, as it means we will get the funds we need so we can start on our developments.”
Reaseheath College, which employs 500 staff and has around 7,500 students, plans to invest millions of pounds on new halls of residence, a new sports centre, new agri-tech and advance engineering site, and new horticultural unit.
They believe these developments over the next 10 years will help the college against what Mr David called “a very competitive market” after many other colleges have been forced to make redundancies.
Recent Comments