I am writing to you to express my very real concern at plans South Holland District Council has for our one track country lane of West Drove South. These are to build, without any infrastructure changes, 22 high density, affordable (i.e. small buildings on small plots) family homes each to occupy at least 2 children on a lane that presently has 15 residences of mixed occupancy but with a current count of young children of 3. The building of this estate alongside a one track, poorly maintained country lane subject to use by heavy farm machinery and with no footpath or street lights is a recipe for disaster. In addition Gedney Hill is a facility-free zone – there is literally nothing here for children and the nearest doctor/dentist/facility is 15 minutes drive away.
Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of building the right estate in the wrong place or the wrong estate in the right place, what is perplexing is the refusal to upgrade the road from country lane to 2 lane road with footpath as indeed the council have already built affordable homes elsewhere in Gedney Hill where these safety considerations exist – and there are other ‘safer’ sites on which they could have built more of these homes. What is more alarming still is the Highways department who have stated they are moving the speed limit signs soon but with no intention of reducing the limit from its current 40mph.
This country lane will be packed with children playing when all is done and dusted. It beggars belief that children will be put at risk in this way and what is the point, we residents are asking, of saying I told you so after the first, second, third, whatever tragedy. 40 mph on a stretch of road of this nature sends absolutely the wrong message to some of the young drivers that use our lane and it would simply be ridiculous to put up additional street furniture to warn of children in an obviously residential urbanisation.