Blackheath Cator Estate unites against Huntsman housing project 'danger' road
4:43pm Monday 15th October 2012 in News By Mark Chandler
Blackheath Cator Estate unites against Huntsman housing project 'danger' road
PLANS to link the Huntsman housing development to the privately-owned Blackheath Cator Estate have caused uproar and been branded a danger to children's lives.
The Huntsman project -144 homes to be built on former Metropolitan Open Land previously used as a sports ground - was originally intended to be accessed from Kidbrooke's Ferrier redevelopment and used as social housing, residents say.
But plans by developer Durrab will provide sole vehicular access from the neighbouring Cator Estate, leading to 337 objections from neighbours.
Access is planned from the Brooklands Park and Manor Way junction - a blind corner protesters say has already seen several crashes and could lead to children being killed.
Dad-of-one John Burr, 51, from Manor Way, said he was already fearful about letting his nine-year-old daughter walk to nearby Brooklands Primary School alone.
He said: "If this goes ahead and there are any bad accidents, it will be the council's responsibility."
Neighbour John Bendall, 72, added: "We're asking how many deaths we have to wait for before they recognise the situation."
Protesters, backed by the Blackheath Society and the Blackheath Cator Estate Residents group which owns the roads, also point to a lack of affordable housing and negative impact on the area's character.
They say the number of planned detached homes also breaks with the original intention to use the site for social housing.
Resident Jim Sears, 51, told News Shopper: "The interests of the community are being sacrificed for the interest of a private developer."
Durrab director Terry Macey said: "The aim has always been to route it through the Cator Estate. A deed was granted for that very purpose."
He said the access plan was safe, adding: "It's been many years of work by all parties concerned to produce a great development."
The application will be discussed by Greenwich Council's planning committee on October 25.
Comments(2)
xristos
says...
10:24am Mon 22 Oct 12
His team may have been working for the last 4 or 5 years, but never with the idea of being part of Kidbrooke which is what this land was designated for in the Borough Plan.
Another case of a developer with his own purpose and little regard for the public good.
goldenbroomboy says...
12:08pm Tue 16 Oct 12
(I could have simply written that developers don't give a d**n about negative impact, but I've done that before).