Dear Editor,

Following the attendance of the consultation in respect of the proposal for extending the boundary of the Neighbourhood Plan to development in the field adjacent to the Avenues of Greytree, access via Second Avenue, we would like to bring the following points to the public in respect of objecting to this.

The consultants were tasked with endeavouring to provide a ‘positive’ and in their opinion ‘viable’ option for consideration to provide a profitable return for the charities they represent relating to the land bequeathed to them by the previous owner.

The consultants believe this site in Greytree to be a suitable development for the area. However, the Ross-on-Wye Neighbourhood Development Plan Sub Committee meeting held on May 17th, 2018, identified that any developments related to P1004/1/HLAA107001 for the erection of 20 houses on Brampton Road had not been agreed, as it was confirmed that the houses were not needed.

Relating to P1046 – Greytree site – Herefordshire Council advised against the allocation of this site in the Neighbourhood Plan. This confirms that the Consultants have ignored the advice of the local authorities and are only proposing their own agenda in isolation. This confirmed a very bias view rather than a balanced argument for consideration.

The consultants advised that a suitable traffic survey had been conducted to support the process. However, when questioned in detail, they could not confirm how many cars were parked on the spine road at the time of the survey.

They did identify the survey took place in April, 2018, and confirmed the survey was conducted after 4:30pm. This meant they had not considered the John Kyrle High School closure time when traffic would definitely peak.

Greytree already suffers with considerable traffic issues. The Greytree Road leading from Ross has a bottle neck all the way across Brixton Terrace on a daily basis, with traffic parked adjacent to the housing. This effectively creates a one-way street.

The most arrogant driver always takes precedent in relation to the flow of traffic.

The Greytree spine road always has traffic parked adjacent to the housing, again creating a single lane of potential traffic. The consultants advised that anyone parked on the roads, meaning Greytree Road and Spine Road, should be using their drives and garages, but as with a lot of homes these days, parking adjacent to your home will always be more convenient.

In some cases, where there is a lack of a garage or suitable drive for two cars, people have to park outside of their home. Either way, and including the comments from the consultants, this confirms the current road network serving Greytree is not sufficient to support the number of residents currently using them and, therefore, cannot accommodate further loading without creating significant issues.

The other option of travel from the site into Ross-on-Wye via Brampton Road also suffers with parking to the one side of the road. This restricts vehicular access to single file at several points between the bridge at the top of Brampton Road and the roundabout at the bottom.

Over the past 40 years all of the avenues of Greytree have seen significant development in activities, with gardens being sold to allow for houses and bungalows to be built to maximise the usage of the existing land.

Furthermore, in Sixth Avenue, we have experienced issues with land which was allegedly provided with covenants to secure it as a play area for the children of the residents for 100 years being allowed to be sold to one resident without consultation with other residents and subsequently then ignoring the covenants which has removed the play area. Therefore, any advice regarding covenants is a major concern for local residents.

The proposed open green area, with or without convenants, does not leave us with confidence that it will be upheld as recreational area once one development has been established.

The consultants were unable to guarantee this would be safeguarded.

As with all developments of this nature, it is normally the potential profit returns on land which is the primary driver for development, rather than the creation of suitable traffic and infrastructure to support controlled and managed development.

If Greytree is to be developed, then the road networks, supporting facilities, such as cycle paths and social gathering facilities, need to be properly considered before any development takes place.

I know that if we mention the Hildersley side of Ross and the by-pass created on this side of the town where a new residential estate has recently been built, then we will be accused of Nimbyism and deflection.

However, it has to be accepted, the infrastructure has already been prepared in this area allowing for significant development.

The creation of considerable housing that is suitable for the demographic development needs of Ross-on-Wye and Herefordshire, with supporting school and medical facilities already planned to support the new borough.

This area needs to be allowed to grow and develop first, and if further housing is then needed, it would have to accepted by all that a roll out of further development areas would need to be considered and perhaps the land adjacent to Greytree considered, but only after the infrastructure has been developed in support of potential growth.

Julia and Richard Malsom

Ross-on-Wye