Work is set to start on the controversial Taylor Drive – Edmund Wright Way ‘link’ route in Nantwich.
The link has sparked protest from residents living close to it, but others say the link is essential to ease traffic along Welsh Row and Queens Drive and should have been built years ago.
Residents living close to the works received a letter from Cheshire East Highways last week, stating the work would begin on September 24 and could take six weeks.
It says: “Our contractor will be constructing a concrete slab over the stream.
“This will be surfaced to provide a through route and works are anticipated to last six weeks.”
A footpath diversion along the south side of Williamson Drive will remain open while the works are completed, highways says.
But members of the Edmund Wright Way/Taylor Drive Link Road Action Group have hit out at councillors and planners over the project.
They fear it will become “a bypass” for Queens Drive/Welsh Row traffic travelling out to Chester or towards Wrenbury, despite the carriageway only being 5.5 metres wide.
They say authorities have not taken into account a range of issues, including:
– 76% of responses to the planning application were objections
– dangers of a busy road at the base of a canal bank
– not closing off Marsh Lane junction
– solicitors searches not showing any plans when new homes were being purchased
– lack of information sent to residents
– ward councillors not meeting with residents
In a statement, the group says: “This was a decision that was both pre-determined and, one that was made some time ago, making the whole process both futile and an insult to those residents who were objecting to the proposed scheme.
“The resulting decision of the planning approval has set many local residents, and indeed neighbours, on a potential collision course which could potentially harm the harmony that exudes Nantwich as a town.
“If this were to happen then we believe, it would be born out of the inability of the local authorities and relevant concerns to engage with the local community early in the process, remain transparent at all times and be forthcoming with relevant information when requested.
“We appreciate Nantwich is a growing community with a significant amount of development work being undertaken.
“To this end, a review of the whole road network infrastructure, not just for now but for the foreseeable future, is urgently required and we trust that the relevant concerns in taking our statement on board will plan for that future, dispelling with any underhand or knee jerk actions and decisions.”
The link road was first planned for when the Taylor Drive/Edmund Wright Way development was built more than 10 years ago, but it was never completed.
In 2015, Cheshire East strategic planning board passed Gladman Development’s application to build a further 118 homes on the current development off Queen’s Drive.
One condition imposed by councillors at the time included making Welsh Row one-way eastbound, and to link Taylor Drive through to Edmund Wright Way and Marsh Lane.
I’ve lived here for 12 years now (I’m sure the older community will start lecturing me at this point) and Nantwich is a lovely part of Cheshire however it is very locked in the past. Now this may suit the older fraternity in the area who boycott and complain about any change but in order for the town to remain a growing successful area change has to happen. Some of it like the developments on the land previously owned by Reeseheath is out of proportion I accept but to have a future we need to ensure access and movement remains a focus.
Interestingly the whole site is an ancient graveyard called Frog greaves ( French graves to translate ) on bill pearsons nantwich field names map, wonder how many bones were/ will be dug up, I hope the council do a historic dig before starting as this site could be the position of the first priory built in Nantwich around 1090 by the first baron, on topic though surely the exit onto queens drive opposite mill fields will be ruddy lethal?
Quite frankly Kevin your views are misguided like your speaking on behalf of the council. The growth rate of Nantwich is unsustainable and getting quite ridiculous. It’s suppose to be a small country town and not an extension of Crewe. Allowing access through Taylor drive and welsh row are not solutions, they are thoughtless ideas by councils and developers to fund the build new and get rich quick scheme.
Personally I would like to see welsh become pedestrian only with access for residents.
The Taylor Drive link is not a new proposal. It has been programmed for more than 10 years and predates most of the recent expansion of Nantwich. Opening this link will relieve some of the pressure on the existing network in this part of the town by offering an alternative through route. There will be an impact on some residents but they should have known/been informed about the long-standing proposal at the time of purchase. Caveat emptor.
‘harm the harmony that exudes Nantwich as a town’. Sorry – what?
The opening of Taylor Drive is a sensible and practical solution to the volume of traffic along Queens Drive that the Malbank Waters estate has created. Taylor Drive should have been opened in 1996 when Salt Meadows estate was built.
The objections to the Planning Application were heard at The Southern Planning Committee on 4th April. Councillors at that meeting voted 8 to nil (with two abstentions) in favour of opening Taylor Drive.
Ward councillors have to take all views into account. Householders in Queend Drive and Millfields estate lobbied councillors just as strongly to open Taylor Drive as those who wished it to remain closed.
The ‘action group’ have no concerns for the wider community and the people in Queens Drive and Millfields who are having to deal with congestion at the junction of Welsh Row on a daily basis.
If there is any animosity between residents, the blame can be laid firmly at the door of the ‘action group’ by their futile and costly campaign to keep the road closed.
Kevin Hammersley.
A while ago the residents were trying to find out who owned a clump of trees on the estate and couldn’t , so who owns the bit of land where this bridge/ slab is going? Maybe not the developers after all