Fears for schoolchildren’s safety if 30 homes are approved in Retford suburb

There are fears for children’s safety if a new development between two schools is approved near Retford.
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A landowner applied to Bassetlaw District Council to build 30 homes in the Retford suburb of Bolham.

The homes would be built on land between Carr Hill Primary and Nursery School and the Elizabethan Academy.

The brownfield site at the Old Coal Yard in Bolham Lane is off a single track road which does not have a footpath.

A landowner applied to Bassetlaw District Council to build 30 homes on a brownfield site in the Retford suburb of Bolham.A landowner applied to Bassetlaw District Council to build 30 homes on a brownfield site in the Retford suburb of Bolham.
A landowner applied to Bassetlaw District Council to build 30 homes on a brownfield site in the Retford suburb of Bolham.

But the applicant said that they plan to provide “several passing bays” along the lane and a footpath on one side – which they say will “without doubt, improve highway safety”.

A Nottinghamshire County Council Highways officer recommended that the application be refused.

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One of the five residents who objected to the plans said that the road is “poorly lit in winter months and used by both public and school children, to walk dogs and go to local schools”.

Another said that Retford was being “destroyed” by large developments.

The resident wrote: “Already we have seen the environmental impact of lots of housing developments in Retford.

“Our once small town becomes larger, with it comes the impact of all the increased traffic.

“The current traffic situation in Retford is becoming ridiculous. This lane is used by dog walkers and children going to school. The new Linden development will bring more children, who will be at risk by the increased traffic.”

Another commented: “The narrow road with no footpaths is a route used by children going to and from Elizabethan School and Carr Hill School. This planning application was clearly not thought through.”

The Highways report stated that the application for outline planning permission “fails to demonstrate that the residual cumulative impact on the road network would not be severe”.

They said pedestrian activity is likely to increase when the nearby Linden Homes development for 186-homes in Tiln Lane is completed.

A report said: “Due to the substandard nature of Bolham Lane, an increase in vehicle movements is likely to lead to an increase in conflict with pedestrians and cyclists particularly children attending local schools to the detriment of highway safety.

“Whilst there may be scope to widen Bolham Lane across the site frontage such that it is wide enough for two vehicles to pass, and for a footway to be provided across the site frontage, improvement is not possible beyond the site boundary to the south up to Bolham Lane Business Park without third party land outside of the application area.”

A spokesperson for the applicant, Adam Potts, said: “The highway authority have requested a Transport Assessment and one has now been commissioned and will be forwarded to the planners and highway authority once this is to hand.

“The details that are lodged with the planning authority clearly show the applicant’s intention to provide several passing bays along Bolham Lane together with a pedestrian footpath all along the western side.

“The owner of this land has agreed to this provision which will, without doubt, improve highway safety specifically for pedestrians but also for vehicular traffic.

"The net result will be safety improvement along this illuminated stretch of Bolham Lane.

“The proposal is for a mixed housing development incorporating some much-needed single storey dwelling for our more senior residents.”

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