What's this? 'Chaos' if more homes are built

Written by Jonathan Dodds and published in Buxton Advertiser on Thu 24th Sep 2009

Councillor David Lomax

WHALEY Bridge's general infrastructure would have to be dramatically updated if a major new housing estate was to be built in the town, it has been claimed.

High Peak residents are currently being consulted on potential locations for thousands of new homes, which Government policy dictates must be built in the borough by 2026.

Land off Macclesfield Road at Horwich End has been put forward as one possible location, much to the anger of locals who claim the town's infrastructure is already at breaking point.

Addressing a meeting of Whaley Bridge Town Council, resident John Ashton said: "How many houses are going to be built on a site that big? What's going to happen to all the extra traffic using Macclesfield Road? If this estate is built, where will the entrances and exits be?

"Where are the children going to go to school, because Whaley Bridge and Taxal are already at capacity. Everything in the area for children is at a maximum, so what's going to happen to them?

"And what about local amenities? It seems to me that we have got one amenity that we can offer them - plenty of takeaways."

Town councillor Cllr David Lomax, who is also a High Peak borough councillor, assured residents their views would be represented.

"We have many complaints that there isn't affordable housing for people in Whaley Bridge, Chapel and Buxton, and we have the situation now where the numbers of affordable houses are drying up," he said.

"It is a very difficult situation to provide the necessary housing for people who want to live in the area.

"I think the traffic is the main concern. We have already had comments about how narrow the road is. There would be absolute chaos.

"If we cannot cope with what we have got now, how are we going to deal with it in the future. The general infrastructure will have to be updated dramatically."

Cllr Jon Goldfinch criticised the lack of information in the consultation document, which does not indicate the scale of potential developments or possible housing types.

Expressing her own concerns about the traffic implications, Cllr Jean Horsfall added: "I think we can only agree with everybody and just rely on our borough councillors who will, hopefully, back our objections."

Members of the public have until October 1 to comment on potential locations for new housing that will make up the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy.