LOCALS opposed to the reintroduction of vehicles to a quiet lane after 30 years are urging people to make their views known before it is too late.

Following granting of planning permission last September for two homes at Woodland Barn, off Kennel Lane in the Woodlands area of Ivybridge, the developer now needs to secure legal vehicular access to the site.

This would mean amending a traffic regulation order made in 1986 that prohibits all traffic on the narrow lane. A new order has been proposed that would allow vehicle access to the bottom 135 metres of the road, and the top 21 metres, with the middle section still prohibited.

But local protesters argue that Kennel Lane is completely unsuitable for vehicles, and is much used by children and others who are unaccustomed to encountering vehicles on it. They say the plans have ‘massive and long-lasting implications’ for pedestrian safety, and point to recent near misses involving children and vehicles.

The lane runs up the side of Woodlands Park with its play facilities, and is the route used by many to go to and from Woodland Park Primary because of its lack of cars.

Woodlands residents are now rallying the community to submit their objections to Devon County Council before next Friday, February 12, when the consultation period ends. After that, a decision will be made, probably by local county councillors rather than the full DCC Highways and Traffic Orders Committee, who will be obliged to consider the comments submitted.

Ivybridge Town Council has already sent its objections to the county council. Among the many issues it flags up, councillors note that the proposed development would not allow space for cars to turn, meaning they would have to reverse all the way down Kennel Lane and out into Woodland Road.

Local resident Carol Beeson referred to a previous traffic tragedy in Ivybridge. She said: ‘It would be unforgivable if there was a sequel to the fatal accident on Blatchford Road in 1995. It took this incident before safety measures were finally introduced.’

Another resident, Dee Marshall, points to Land Registry documents obtained by residents which she says prove that Woodland Barn has existing access to the site, via Farm Lane to the east of the property. The use of this access, objectors say, would negate the need for vehicular access on Kennel Lane.

Dee questioned why these documents were not included in the original plans considered by South Hams Council, saying: ‘As the applicant desired access via Kennel Lane, is it any wonder documents pointing out the existing access were not submitted in the application?’

Local man Peter Diment has spent time and energy looking into the background of the current and proposed traffic orders. He notes that, although DCC did originally install signs at the entrance to Kennel Lane notifying drivers, they fell into disrepair and were not replaced.

This meant the order became effectively impossible to enforce, and has allowed those in favour of the new order to argue that de facto vehicle access already exists.

Peter, following an exchange of emails with local county councillor Roger Croad, was also concerned to be told that the fear of incurring legal costs, should a decision be challenged, would be a factor in that decision.

Cllr Croad wrote: ‘HATOC, or the possible delegate, will be well aware that, given that planning permission has already been granted, should the revocation of the existing TRO be turned down the developer would most definitely appeal to the Planning Inspector.

‘Should that decision be over turned by the Inspector and, looking at similar decisions country-wide there is every likelihood that would be the case, the county council could be looking at court costs of anywhere between £30,000 and £50,000.’

Peter said: ‘This puts our elected representatives in the impossible situation of being made to reach a decision concerning the safety of pedestrians on the basis of possibly incurring a financial penalty.

‘The public needs to be aware that the fear of incurring financial penalties appears to be an overriding concern when elected officials make Planning decisions.’

Such suspicions that the TRO decision may be a done deal were bolstered recently when a new sign was installed at the Woodland Road entrance to Kennel Lane. Rather than instructing vehicles not to enter the lane, the sign simply reads ‘no through road’.

To view the proposed TRO and submit comments, visit the traffic orders section of www.devon.gov.uk, search for the advertised order for Kennel Lane, and click on the reference number.