CONCERNED town council chiefs have raised fears of further traffic congestion in the town as plans for 460 new homes off Cheltenham Road go before Wychavon planning chiefs.
Bloor Homes have submitted a bid to demolish residential and agricultural buildings associated with Amberley Farm, build a new access road off Cheltenham Road and an emergency access from the road and A46 roundabout and create car parking to serve the town’s football club, open spaces and a play area.
The proposals will be considered by planners on Thursday with district council chiefs recommending the scheme is given the green light provided 40 per cent of the homes are affordable and efforts are made to develop a pedestrian/cycle link from the site and Hampton bridge.
Original proposals for a road to the new development from the A46 roundabout have been scrapped but despite the conditions imposed by planners, the scheme has attracted objections from frustrated town council chiefs.
Town councillors claim the proposed new access roads are too close to the two other junctions in Cheltenham Road and will add to congestion.
“Traffic is already at a standstill on Cheltenham Road at peak times. Further development would mean queues back to the A46 roundabout and most probably onto the A46 itself,” the town council submission reads.
Concerns have also been raised about the potential development putting an end to hopes in the Evesham Town Plan to extend to ring road to connect the A46 to the B4084.
“The ideal route for this road passes directly through this development and would therefore prevent this from happening. Any development would have to be scaled back to ensure a ring road remains possible.”
Highways chiefs at Worcestershire County Council appear to back the town council’s claims and said the junctions closest to the proposed development are operating close to capacity and could become overloaded if the development was approved.
Highways England added their voice to and said their traffic models demonstrate the A46 is severely congested within Evesham, particularly during the morning rush hour at the Badsey and Broadway Road roundabouts.
“Existing queuing and delays have also been shown to be significantly worsened by traffic arising from the development.”
In response, district planning chiefs said the Town Plan is not part of the South Worcestershire Development Plan and land should not be protected to allow for an extension of the ring road.
The proposals will be debated at Pershore Civic Centre next Thursday from 2pm.
