Call for new road for £28m development (From Echo)

Call for new road for £28m development

8:44am Saturday 2nd December 2006 in News By Nicola Fenn

Angry residents living near the planned £28million Runwell Hospital development want a new £250,000 road built to stop their homes being ruined by heavy traffic.

Residents believe the plan for 624 homes in Runwell Road, Wickford should include the road to take construction lorries rumbling along Runwell Road and Runwell Chase.

One woman, from Runwell Road who did not want to be named, said structural damage to her home caused by traffic will get worse unless another road is built.

She said: "If this gets passed I will be lucky to have a house when all the juggernauts have gone past. I will probably be joining the patients in Runwell."

Ray Ride, Runwell ward councillor, said: "It seems the Health Secretary is only concerned about one thing.

That's not the health of the people of Runwell, but exploiting the site for a maximum level of profit, leaving only a fraction of what is Runwell Hospital.

"All we are asking for is to steer the construction traffic away from Runwell Chase."

The new hospital will take up just 11 acres of the 300 acre site with the rest occupied by homes, which have already been granted outline planning permission.

More than 80 neighbours, living next to the project, packed a public meeting to demand action from health and council bosses.

Dr Patrick Geoghegan, chief executive of the trust, said the estimated £250,000 cost of a road solely for construction traffic, would mean funds diverted away from front-line patient services within the hospital. He said: "I haven't got the money."

Asked if he would call on English Partnerships to create an access road in a bid to ease the impact on residents, Mr Geoghegan added: "I can't support anything firmly which will in any way impact on our application, but I am working with you."

A English Partnerships spokeswoman said preliminary discussions have been held with the trust over access to the site.