February 21, 2019 10.44 am This story is over 61 months old

Council apologises for ‘distress’ caused over Spalding Relief Road

Residents said they are losing sleep over the plans
Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at the county council, addresses residents affected by the Spalding Relief Road at a meeting at Bromley Hall in Pode Hole, near Spalding, in February 2019. Picture: Daniel Jaines.

Lincolnshire County Council has apologised to residents who were left “in limbo” over the future of their family homes due to the £100 million Spalding Relief Road.

People who live in direct route of the planned road said they only found out this week that their homes could be demolished because of the project.

Residents living on Bourne Road, along with South Drove, Horseshoe Road and Pinchbeck Road, said no contact had been made with them by the council on the highway scheme.

The Spalding Relief Road will provide a new route around the west side of the town, linking Spalding Common in the south to Spalding Road/Pinchbeck Road in the north.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at the county council, said he was “extremely sorry” for not contacting those affected directly and stressed the project was in its “early stages”.

The proposed £100 million Spalding Relief Road. Picture: Lincolnshire County Council.

“I’m extremely sorry for the distress this situation has caused, and will be asking the project team to explain why they didn’t contact affected residents directly beforehand,” he said.

“We did publicise the recent drop-in events extensively, distributing over 14,000 leaflets and placing a range of adverts, but clearly we should have done more.

“I would stress that things are at a very early stage, and that there is no funding available to actually build the road at this time.

“That means the project is unlikely to happen in the immediate future, and it could potentially take a decade or more before we are in a position to start construction.

“Although back in 2014 we had hoped to build this section without affecting any properties, as things progressed it became apparent that this wasn’t going to work from an engineering point of view.”

The county council is expected to submit planning applications for the routes this spring.

Catherine and Frank Roberts outside their forever home on Bourne Road. Photo: Daniel Jaines

But, residents affected by the proposed road have said they have “not slept” because of the distress the news has caused.

Catherine Roberts, who lives with her husband Frank on Bourne Road, said she is one of around nine properties in a row which could be affected.

She said: “There are no winners in Bourne Road only losers. It is very emotive I have not slept for days as no-one can tell us when the decision will be made.

“We are left in limbo waiting for a letter to drop through the letter box asking us to meet them to discuss the compulsory order.”

The news forced local county councillor, Angela Newton, to host a meeting on the issue following the council’s consultation event.

“People were going into the event not knowing they were likely to be affected to the extent that they could be subject to things like Compulsory Purchase Orders,” she said.

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