Anger after construction vehicles 'squeeze' down residential road to Ludlow development

Building work has begun at the site of a new 137-home development off Foldgate Lane.

A planning application for reserved matters was approved in September, but sparked anger from nearby residents and councillors as it revealed plans to bring materials to the site via Foldgate Lane, a narrow residential road.

The arrangement was proposed for six to eight weeks, by which point a new construction access would be created off the A49.

Crest Nicholson, which is constructing the houses, agreed to a site meeting to hear people's concerns, and afterwards abandoned plans to temporarily use Foldgate Lane.

The decision was hailed a "victory for common sense" by Councillor Andy Boddington.

But last week, residents were angered to see trucks using the road to get to the construction site.

Councillor Boddington said: "Large trucks full of stone are being squeezed down the lane to begin work.

"Crest say this is temporary. But they started without notice and caused considerable inconvenience for local people. I was one of them, while I was out walking the dog."

Councillor Viv Parry said countless people had contacted her to complain about the lorries.

She said: "We have never seen anything like it. They have taken tons of stone up there.

"It goes against what they said at the site meeting. We all agreed it was too narrow."

Compound

Shropshire Council said it had been made aware of the issue.

Grahame French, Shropshire Council’s principal planning officer, said: “We received queries from Shropshire Councillors Viv Parry and Andy Boddington regarding this.

"I have raised this with the developer, who has stated that a few deliveries of stone and fencing took place via Foldgate Lane in order to establish a contractor’s compound.

“This work is complete, and operations will now proceed within the site for a few weeks without any bulk material deliveries, until a new construction access is completed onto the A49."

Crest Nicholson apologised for the disruption but said planning permission had not been breached.

A spokesman said: “We started work at our new site in Ludlow this week. To ensure the site is fit for work to begin we are required to build the necessary infrastructure in terms of welfare, parking and a haul road to meet the legal set-up standards.

“Currently, the site is only accessible via Foldgate Lane and therefore a series of deliveries were made to the site via the lane to enable us to commence this initial work.

"The set up phase is now complete and we will be working within the site’s boundaries as we commence building access to the main highway.

"All work was completed in accordance with the site’s planning permission and we apologise for any temporary disruption it may have caused.”