Decision made on M180 Barnetby Top lorry park and drive-thru restaurants

Plans have been refused for a lorry park with up to 200 spaces close to the M180 along with a service station and two drive-thru restaurants, have been refused by North Lincolnshire Council‘s planning committee.

North Lincolnshire Council‘s planning committee turned down the proposals which had previously been deferred for a site visit last month. Lindum Group Limited and Brocklesby Estate’s application for the development sparked considerable local opposition with more than 60 individual comments made on the application, most objecting.

The lorry park and associated elements would have been at Barnetby Top interchange, junction five of the M180, with up to 75 jobs potentially created once operational. It was unanimously rejected, with highways safety and drainage issues cited by councillors.

“My main concerns are road safety and traffic congestion,” said Andrew Horner. He had used the Barnetby Top interchange almost since it was built sand said the plans were “a traffic disaster waiting to happen”. Also describing it as “absolute madness”, he believed there would be queues down to the M180 or A180, with “standing traffic on the motorway or dual carriageway” to get off.

He claimed “there are plenty of accidents” at the main roundabout already, and believed the proposals would increase these. “It will have an adverse impact on every single road joining both roundabouts,” Mr Horner said, adding: “I can’t believe that highways haven’t objected to this plan.”

Objector Ruth Lloyd said she was late for the meeting because of existing traffic and getting out of Barnetby. “I found hardly any examples of lorry parks on the scale of this at all,” she said, and none next to a village of Barnetby’s size. She also suggested approval could be put to judicial review on non-rationality grounds. Another objector, Helen Munn, raised flooding and job loss concerns for Barnetby.

Jobs created may not all go to local residents, and “may not compensate for the loss of other businesses”, she said, suggesting a village café could be impacted.

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James Rigby, agent on behalf of both applicants, said they were pleased the proposal benefited “from such a strong recommendation for approval”. An “extensive volume of supporting studies” had been submitted on why the lorry park facility was needed. Like last month, he again stated it was the “optimal location” locally.

It would be “an essential piece of infrastructure that will support the growth of the Humber economy”. Taking into account both the 58-75 direct full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs on site when running, construction jobs and estimated indirect jobs, the project would create close to 200 FTE jobs, he said.

It would have “demonstrable and immediate economic benefits”, and represented overall investment “in the region of £11m”. A written submission from Brigg and Wolds Ward Cllr Rob Waltham, supported by Cllr Carl Sherwood, urged refusal on the basis of highways and drainage concerns.

‘Doesn’t look usable’

“We all saw what the traffic situation’s like,” said Cllr Carol Ross of planning committee’s site visit. She said its proposed in and out system “doesn’t look usable”.

“I’d like to vote for this, to be quite honest,” said Cllr Mick Grant. But he could not, having experienced the traffic issues on the site visit with his pushbike. “Most of the issues is when the traffic leaves it,” he said of the proposal.

“I was struck by the nature of the existing traffic,” said Cllr Max Bell. He counted eight HGVs at 11am on the Wednesday morning at the adjacent roundabouts. Referring to a proposal to require lorries to exit only out of part of the site, he added: “We have enough difficulties trying to stop people turning right on Grange Lane South, never mind Barnetby Top.”

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe