Residents ‘fed up’ with Sterling Cable development's motorway barrier plans
PLANS to replace Victorian railings with 'motorway barriers' for the Sterling Cables development in Newbury has upset neighbouring residents.
The Victorian boundary railings separate residents of Gordon Road from a steep drop down to what will be a new two-way road.
The barriers highlighted on the plans are called a vehicle restraint system.
These are safety barriers that are installed to minimise damage to cars, should there be a crash on the road.
But Gordon Road residents say these new short barriers may be unsafe for children as they could climb right over them.
Gordon Road is also above a short hill that will overlook the new road and there are concerns over the drop, which will stop children from playing outside their homes.
The new link road will accompany the 167 flats being built as a part of the Sterling Cables site development, but residents claim they had no letters or phone calls updating them about the ‘drastic’ changes
Stevie Rowing-Parker said: “It’s a massive drop and they’re going to make it so much easier for kids, people walking their dog, or anyone just to fall down it here and it wouldn’t be pretty.
“This area is completely quiet, whereas this will be a busy road all the time.
“When they made this road they had a roller and all of our houses were shaking," he said.
"I am working from home and my laptop was shaking on my desk and we have got cracks in our houses.”
The new road will link Hectors Way, leading to Sainsbury’s, and Kings Road.
Neighbouring residents want a sound barrier put in to reduce the amount of disturbance.
Mr Rowing-Parker said: "It’s just about offsetting the noise pollution and the car pollution, that’s what I am really worried about.
"This was always peaceful, it sounds silly but you could smell it was cleaner air here.
“It was such a peaceful place it was a proper little haven in the middle of Newbury and suddenly they’re putting in this two-way road.
"It has got to be done but at least put up a sound barrier.”
Resident and mother-of-two Victoria said she was concerned for her children’s safety as well as local wildlife.
She said: “It is a very steep drop on the other side.
“We left the grass to grow long for animal habitats. Wildlife we see frequently are bees, butterflies, hedgehogs, grasshoppers, blue-tits, gold finches, wrens and occasionally we see foxes and deer.
“Well we used to until they dug up all the vegetation.”
West Berkshire councillor Phil Barnett (Lib Dem, Newbury Greenham) said that he has spoken with neighbouring residents in the past and will research more into the specific issues involving railings.
He highlighted the difficulties that come with trying to solve these issues. He said: “You resolve one problem and you create another problem.
We need to try to address it in a fair way which will satisfy the majority of the residents.”
Sterling Cables developer Nelson Land Limited have said that they do not wish to comment further on what will be required either for safety or security requirements.
They say they are still in talks with West Berkshire Council over the plans for the link road and its surrounds.
