Highway Access

Totally unsuitable. Inappropriate for proposed BX116 - Spindlewood Drive.

I live in Meads Road and believe along with many local residents in that the Meads Road access point is totally unsuitable on the following points:

Narrow roads - Maple Walk, Maple Avenue and Meads Avenue are unadopted roads and Meads Road is also unstable for very heavy vehicles.

The concrete bays along Meads Road have problems with slight voids, creating the bays to slap; this can be heard within properties and has been reported to Highways from myself. No.7 has reported he can feel it through his wheelchair.

On the width issue in Meads Road, there was a delivery to No.24 Meads Road by a builders merchant, 2 refuse lorrys driving towards Cooden Sea Road from Spindlewood found they had difficulty passing so they both half mounted the footway and Road, drove approx. 30/40 metres breaking nearly all the paving slabs. I noticed this on my security cameras. I inspected the footway and called Highways straight away. Councillor Stuart Earl attended the site along with Highways. Highways agreed it was in a state and the area was coned off. Kier, Refuse Contractor to the Council, were contacted, at first they denied any responsibility but with the evidence shown they admitted they were guilty! Kier ended up paying for the damage, unfortunately they ripped up all the slabs and tarmac the area to the annoyance of local residents.
Photo's attached.

2) Other concerns are the possible damage to utilities by the heavy traffic. In the past the 150mm/6"water main with (6 bar of pressure) has broken in several places this may have been caused by the concrete bays slapping causing vibration. I have worked for South East Water for 39 years and have a very good understanding of broken pipes.

33.000 H voltage electric cable runs down Kennel lane and into Meads road. Any damage to the cable due to heavy traffic would cause catastrophic injuries, or worse, as this is used by pedestrians.

Two engineers from East Sussex Highways, who I know personally, reported to me after I complained that the Council will not do anything towards the concrete bays as this would be far too expensive. I emailed East Sussex Highways and they sent a Highways Inspector to the site and he only carried out a visual check, they informed me that I would have to employ a special engineer at my cost and if it was proved that the vibration was evident and causing damage to my property then I could make a claim. I'm shocked that Highways do not have some sort of equipment to measure vibrations.

Looking at all the infrastructure in the proposed development for Spindlewood BX116. I find it totally inappropriate when other sites available ie BX124 are more acceptable, this is where 450 houses are already currently proposed but where numbers could be increased by another 65 - 215.

BX124 and BX106 are both brown field sites and should always be preferred over Greenfield sites as stated in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) para's 17, 89 & 111.

Junction with Cooden Sea Road
Another factor is the meads Road junction with Cooden Sea Road, this junction is very dangerous, on many occasions cars double park causing major problems with traffic congestion in Cooden Sea Road close to a very busy pelican crossing. With the possibility of the proposed build at Spindlewood I can see that all the traffic in and out of the site will all use this junction. An accident waiting to happen!

With all the parking problems within Little Common and the proposed 9 flats on the old Co-op site and 8 flats on the old Nat West bank site the village and Meads Road will be gridlocked!

There are more suitable sites including BX124 option2 and BX101 (a brownfield site that should always be preferred over a greenfield site such as Spindlewood as stated in the National Planning Framework (NPPF) paras 17, 89 & 111


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