All planning applications within the South Derbyshire District are referred to the Parish Meeting for comment. Only objections to major applications will appear here.

The Parish Meeting has objected to this application. 1/9/23

RE DMOT/2023/1024

The Drakelow Parish is opposed to an increase in the number of units built/occupied on the basis suggested. The Parish Meeting has reached out to residents and has not received a single response in support of the suggested increase.

Whilst having sympathy with the developer who has been faced with unreasonable delays by SCC and DCC, the lack of a new bridge crossing at Walton is causing additional concerns and disruption at the current “temporary” crossing to thousands of local residents and commuters from a wider area.

We do not believe the Traffic Survey to be valid given that it is flawed in so many areas.

  • Traffic surveys were conducted on a single day – Tuesday 7th March. A single day is surely not sufficiently representative or reliable.
  • The survey was also conducted before the latest traffic restrictions were placed  on Chetwynd Bridge which has pushed substantially more traffic through Walton and Drakelow  in both directions. Those changes have a major impact on traffic in the area of concern.
  • The Waste incinerator adjacent to Drakelow Park is now complete but not commissioned. That will have a substantial HGV traffic impact that would not have been present in the traffic survey. That needs to be taken into account, particularly through Stapenhill towards St Peter Street Bridge.
  • Given that there are major festivals at Catton Hall every year with huge increases in traffic conditions (section 4.4.3 again), not considering these as an overlay is unacceptable and unrepresentative.

We ask that the Planning Committee reject the application, or at the very least defer any decision until such time as the results of  a properly representative Traffic Survey has been completed by the two County Councils involved and found to be satisfactory to the planning committee. This must take account of the long term effect of restrictions upon the Chetwynd Bridge, an issue not addressed in the current submission and also the imminent operation of the Vital Energi Waste/Power Plant.

It should also be recorded that there is currently no footpath from the Dracan Development along the Walton Rd public highway to join up with the current path from its Fallow Drive junction into Stapenhill in Staffordshire. As a highways matter this is the responsibility of DCC but they have been totally negative in their response despite the obvious dangers to life. The Parish Meeting believes that a mechanism must be found to provide a satisfactory temporary and long term route.

In addition a bus stop by the Dracan Development main entrance is also urgency as there are an increasing number of non-driving pedestrians who have to walk along the busy and dangerous Walton Rd in order to reach the current stops near the junction with Rosliston Rd South. This is yet another imperative. See provisions of current 106 Agreement and implement as appropriate.

….and has supported this one with conditions

 

RE DMPA/2023/0970 1/9/23

The Drakelow Parish supports this application with the following conditions

  • A viable pathway must be in place before any home is sold/occupied. This must link with the current pavement to Stapenhill, which begins at the junction of Fallow Drive/Walton Rd
  • A bus stop and service must be in place to serve the Dracan Development with adequate footpath access thereto. (Reference the “transport provision” within the current 106 agreement)