A509 Development Ashton Grove
The Humble Petition of Ashton Grove, Northamptonshire and the surrounding area,
Sheweth,
That the petitioners believe that the development of the A509 as currently proposed should not go ahead due to reduction in safety, the increase to noise and air pollution, and the privacy concerns that raising the road and removing the trees would cause to residents of Ashton Grove.
Wherefore your petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges the Department for Transport to encourage Northamptonshire County Council to reassess their plans for the A509 and amend them in consultation with local residents.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.—[Presented by Mr Peter Bone , Official Report, 12 December 2016; Vol. 618, c. 588.]
[P001992]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Grayling):
The Government note the concerns expressed by your petitioners regarding consultation associated with the Wellingborough North development also known as Upper Redhill. As you will be aware, responsibility for consultations associated with planning applications rests with the local planning authorities; in this case the Borough Council of Wellingborough. I understand that the Borough Council consulted interested parties on the planned development at the time.
In view of this the Government have no powers to intervene in this matter, but we have made Northamptonshire County Council aware of the petition and the Parliamentary concern.
In this particular case the development was originally refused by the Borough Council but then considered and permitted by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government via a Public Inquiry in 2009. While the plans have been modified, there has been no change to the proposed access arrangements at Gleneagles by way of a traffic signal controlled junction.
The junction was proposed and designed by the developer and found to work appropriately based on the transport assessments associated with the planning applications. The junction design also provides greater connectivity for pedestrian and cycle movements from the development into the existing network.
The Department for Transport has been advised by Northamptonshire County Council that the design complies with national standards and has been subject to an independent road safety audit. Once complete a further road safety audit will be carried out and any further works or alterations arising from that will be undertaken.
Environmental and noise issues arising from the development are matters for the Borough Council as local planning authority to consider. I understand that the Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council have been in touch with your constituents to discuss their concerns and I would encourage your constituents to raise any remaining concerns with those organisations.