Street light on Dark Lane fixed

I’m pleased the highways authority has taken action after I made representations to them about a faulty street light on Dark Lane.

When I was in the area recently, I noticed it was on during daylight hours, so contacted Lancs County Council asking them to fix it, which they now have.

Thanks to all concerned.

Hettinga House developers must be good neighbours

ON Thursday evening, both myself and local residents attended and addressed the Borough Council’s Planning Committee regarding the application to demolish Hettinga House on Dark Lane.

The plan, submitted by Stocks Hall Care Homes Ltd, was for a new 48 bed medical trauma rehabilitation centre, demolition of the existing buildings, a new car parking area and alterations to the existing road junction at Greetby Hill. It would replace the former St Joseph’s Hospice, with closed more than three years ago.

After the debate, the Committee approved the plans, but not before listening to concerns from myself and the site’s neighbours about parking and traffic.

The nub of my argument was that I am concerned that 25 parking spaces, which is what the scheme will have, will not be enough for a facility which will have 48 beds and 130 staff, not to mention visitors to the new premises and the visitors to the ‘Life for A Life’ memorial garden in the grounds of the former hospice.

As I said on the night, I am, in principle, supportive of the service the applicant seeks to provide, but there are genuine concerns that parking will spill over into nearby residential areas such as Greetby Hill, Dark Lane, Delph Top, Charlesbye Avenue and Charlesbye Close.

Based on the highways authority’s own predictions, we could be looking at well over 400 extra vehicle movements per week. Can a 25 space car park really cope with that?

I welcome the company’s indication they would lay on a minibus service for staff so as to avoid multiple car journeys, but doubt they could make use of it compulsory, so there would still be some staff who would use their cars.

I told Committee members that Jospice worked because it was a small scale concern in comparison with what will now be built there as it will be triple the size in terms of beds.

After the Committee made their decision, I wrote to the applicant, Stocks Care Homes Ltd, calling for a meeting, and will be as I want to impress on them that the new site operators and management need to be good neighbours.

I haven’t met anybody who isn’t supportive of the idea of a medical establishment on the former Jospice site. But there are genuine fears among residents over increased noise, traffic and pollution to the area, and for that reason the new site operators have a duty to work with the local community to ensure that any problems are dealt with quickly.

Repairs in the pipeline for Brook Lane and Small Lane

Two of Derby Ward’s most worn out roads are to be repaired following my intervention.

I have secured agreement from Lancashire County Council that running repairs will be made to Small Lane and Brook Lane, with a view to including them in a future year’s budget for resurfacing.

I am pleased the County Council has agreed to act upon my representations over Brook Lane and Small Lane.

Both roads, like so many in Derby Ward, are in desperate need of repair so I am glad the highways authority recognises the need for both short and long term measures.

The County Council has also agreed, at my request, to undertake repair works to the pavement on Dark Lane after I raised the issue on behalf of residents. This follows action I’ve secured on other local pavement issues, including in Thompson Avenue, last year.

As I have campaigned across Derby Ward, I have seen the terrible state of the road surfaces, something which is the legacy of the previous Labour administration at County Hall. There are examples right across the area of Labour’s failure to invest.

If elected this Thursday, I promise to continue lobbying the County Council hard to ensure they bring our local roads up to a decent standard following years of Labour neglect. It is nothing less than residents deserve.