Concerns over housing boom in idyllic North Yorkshire village

Grave concerns about road safety have been voiced once again in a picturesque North Yorkshire village facing a housing boom.

Almost 100 new homes are being built by Taylor Wimpey off St Martins Way, in Kirklevington, as building in the south and west of the village continues. But fresh worries about construction traffic have continued to mount in recent weeks as wagons make their way through to the site.

Increased potholes, gridlock on mornings, and queuing lorries have all caused headaches for villagers. Nigel De Badgecoe, chairman of Kirklevington and Castle Leavington Parish Council, has written to developers and Stockton Council with worries about deliveries not sticking to rules on drop off times, disregarding access restrictions on Strathmore Drive, and blocking driveways.

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He also shared grave safety concerns – warning something must be done quickly “before we have a fatality on our hands”.

A large lorry driving through the streets of KirklevingtonA large lorry driving through the streets of Kirklevington
A large lorry driving through the streets of Kirklevington

Coun De Badgecoe added: “I have sat back for as long as I dare, knowing and understanding that the work needs to go ahead for the lorries to be able to unload. But recent events have become too much for our residents to bear.

“Some immediate action and intervention is needed now.” Efforts to create a temporary bypass access route off the A67 have rumbled on for months in a bid to spare the village from more construction traffic.

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Detailed plans were approved for the Taylor Wimpey development in December with hopes negotiations between the landowner, villagers, and house builders could find a way forward on the relief road.

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Correspondence seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service showed Taylor Wimpey officials believed the landowner was happy to proceed, with the firm also willing to stump up £170,000 towards the road.

Initially, Story Homes withdrew from the talks saying it no longer wished to have the shared access on the route over health and safety worries. The firm did not believe it should involve them as it wasn’t their responsibility. But Story Homes has now left the door ajar for a possible way forward.

A spokesperson for the company added: “Following a review of the access route and whether it would be viable for this to become shared with Taylor Wimpey, we initially deemed that it could cause an increased health and safety risk in addition to environmental issues.

“We are actively working with Taylor Wimpey and the council to explore how the route could be shared safely and fairly but are yet to confirm plans.”

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Coun De Badgecoe said they hadn’t given up hope on resolving the traffic problems amicably at the eleventh hour.

The parish chairman sent an emotive plea to Story Homes bosses on Thursday in a bid to convince bosses to reconsider their stance on the bypass.

Meanwhile, a Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We understand the concerns of local residents regarding construction traffic to our site in Kirklevington. Health and safety is our priority and we would like to reassure residents that we are working hard to minimise disruption to the local community.

“We remain committed to working with Story Homes to try to facilitate alternative construction access. Until an agreement is reached, construction traffic will use the planning approved access via St Martins Way.”

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Both Yarm independent Andrew Sherris and Conservative Coun Dan Fagan shared their frustration at the impasse this week.

Coun Fagan said: “It’s carnage by the looks of things. It’s scandalous – you can’t have giant vehicles travelling through those areas, blocking the roads as has been described.”