Safety concerns raised over building site next to a Weymouth primary school
Parents think children walking to school could be at risk from site traffic
Safety concerns at a Weymouth housing site next to a school will be debated again this week.
Parents and local councillors say they are concerned that pupils from Southill Primary School could be put at risk during building work on the former Marchesi House site.
The construction company has claimed it is unable to get site access from Radipole Lane, as originally proposed, and now wants to use Rowan Close and Poplar Close for site traffic, both on the way to school for many pupils.
It has now been suggested signing a longer route to the school via footpaths which could add up to 480metres for pupils and their parents and take 5-6 minutes longer.
Councillors and officials last week (29th) visited the site to see conditions for themselves after an inconclusive planning committee debate last month.
A report on that visit, together with any possible solutions, will be presented to the Dorset Council area planning committee when it meets at County Hall, Dorchester this Thursday, April 7th.
Bournemouth Churches Housing Association, which wants to build new homes on the site, has argued that with safety measures in place the construction access route should be safe – a view backed by council planning and highway officers.
The Association is to build 18 affordable homes and 13 flats for rent and shared ownership in a scheme said to cost £4.5m at the time it was proposed.
It has been claimed that delays caused by problems over site access, together with rising building costs could now put the project at risk.
The development company which will carry out the building work said it had been unable to reach legal agreement with landowners to allow access from Radipole Lane, as originally proposed, and said that an alternative plan, to use three plots off Radipole Lane for access and then build on them towards the end of the project, was unworkable.
Safety proposals to allow the original site access to be used includes no HGV movements at the start and end of the school day, marshalls walking vehicles into and out of the site at other times and a 5mph limit.
But the last committee decided it was not happy with the proposals with some councillors claiming it was inevitable there would be risks for children and their parents, unless the Radipole Lane access was used for site traffic.
Local councillor Pete Barrow, a school governor, said using the existing Marchesi House entrance was so dangerous it could not be allowed.
The other ward councillor, David Gray said that nothing had changed since the planning consent was agreed in June 2020: “There are alternatives for the developer, they just cost more money,” he said.
The developers have now suggested that in addition to all the other safety measure it also displays signs to encourage parents and pupils to use an alternative traffic-free route between the nearby public car park, alongside local shops, and the school.
A council report says the same route was identified in the Southill School Active Travel Plan (dated 23 April 2019) and follows a series of footpaths to the rear of residential properties avoiding Sycamore Road and Rowan Close.
“Whilst no deliveries are permitted during school start/finishing times, the advertisement of the revised route is welcome and will help to further reduce potential conflict between pedestrians and construction vehicles,” said a council report to Thursday’s committee.