CROWN SQUARE PLANS
The Crown Square planning application was approved by the District Council.
It seems there is nothing further that we can do in the short term.
This page is now shown purely as a matter of record.
In view of the fact that the Council failed originally to post the application
document on its website, we obtained a copy. Altogether the planning application
is 62 pages in length - surely too much to take in on a visit to the Town Hall.
We are not allowed to post the document on our website (see their instructions, below: so much for
"open government"!) but here is a summary of the main points of the plans
insofar as they affect Starkholmes/Church Street/Willersley residents:
- They are not going to close the bridge completely because as they
say in para 5.24 this 'would force another 400 vehicles per hour
southbound over Starkholmes at peak times' (i.e. an admission that
400 northbound vehicles per hour have been forced over here)
- In para 5.21 they conclude that Starkholmes is being used as a rat run
- However in para 5.22 they make the preposterous statement that drivers
incur a serious time penalty when using Starkholmes, compared to the A6.
(Simply not true. See the results of the travel-time trials as listed in the minutes of the 25th Nov. public meeting)
- Para 6.1 states (in relation to signage for traffic going from
Alfreton to Ashbourne) "It is hoped that this will ease through-traffic
and keep traffic on main routes that are designed to cope with high
volumes of traffic." What about us?
- In para 6.15 they state that the capacity of the junction
(Crown Square) will be reduced as a result of the changes and, since
they say in para 4.19 with regard to the current situation "There is
queuing at peak times; however this is due to the cumulative effect
of pedestrian demand and peak traffic flows" - it is clear that the
queuing will get worse and therefore more motorists will divert over
Starkholmes
One of the main purposes (or THE main purpose? certainly it is in line with the
Council's published aims of improving pedestrian access there) of the plan is to
reduce traffic volumes through Matlock town centre. Where do you think this
traffic will go? Through Starkholmes of course.
Download response form (PDF format).
You may print it out, complete it (in your own words or ours as you wish!)
and send it to:
Head of Planning Services
Derbyshire Dales District Council
Town Hall
Matlock
Derbyshire DE4 9BR
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You may not:
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