BABTAG Update
We welcome news for Barkby and Barkby Thorpe residents as the plan is published to deter rat-run traffic through the villages from the growing development of Thorpebury. There is also the less welcome news of the 960 houses closing in on Barkby from Syston and the likelihood of even more houses locally in the Charnwood Local Plan. And the reasons for the three month closure of Hamilton Lane
Traffic Mitigation
A condition for the go-ahead for the 4500 houses of Thorpebury was that traffic from the new estates should not further congest the already busy roads of Barkby and Barkby Thorpe. Longer term there are new roads to be built to by-pass the villages but for now a set of traffic mitigation measures for the existing roads has been proposed by the County Council. These include a mini-roundabout at the junction of King St and Queen St. in Barkby Thorpe, a priority working chicane on the Beeby Road east of the Pochin School and a number of speed humps on Main St., Beeby Road and Queen St. BABTAG has welcomed these measures which have long in gestation but will continue to press for a 30 mph limit on Thorpe Lane by the cricket ground and a 20mph limit in the villages themselves.
Closure of Hamilton Lane
Motorists travelling through Barkby Thorpe will be aware that a section of Hamilton Lane is currently subject to a three month closure. This is to facilitate the construction of two new road accesses into Phase 1 of Thorpebury from the Lane south of Hilltop Farm. Once this work is completed BABTAG understands that remedial work on the pinch and the signage for the southern chicane on Barkbythorpe Road will be undertaken.
More Houses in the Local Plan
Following the Government Inspectors’ recommendations a public consultation is now taking place on the main modifications to the Charnwood Local Plan. These changes do not affect the controversial plan to build more than 1500 houses between Barkby and Syston which BABTAG has earlier opposed, But a new map is part of the consultation showing not only the proposed new developments but the full extent of the 4500 houses of Thorpebury. (See map below) It graphically illustrates why BABTAG feels that development beyond the 4500 houses overburdens and changes the character of our area. Worryingly in contrast to the old map the new map omits all the areas of green wedge and green space within the perimeters of the development areas.
BABTAG has asked why they been omitted in its comments to Charnwood Council.
Still with the Local Plan, changes to the housing trajectory of the borough council mean that, assuming planning permission is gained, those sites that make up the 1500 houses will see house-building beginning as early as 2026 and 2027.
Owen Bentley,
Chairman BABTAG