THE DEVELOPMENT OFF EAGRY now known as EAGRY GARDENS
WORKS SITE TRAFFIC
Practically every one of the objectors to the development expressed fears and concerns about the expected amount of site construction traffic using Eagry Park. Here is a flavour of some of those letters of objections :-
(9th May 2002) "....The roadway providing access to this site is narrow, Cars pass carefully and it is totally unsuitable for heavy site traffic....."
(7 May 2002) ".... Eagry Park is narrow and steep and has to be negotiated carefully. Two vehicles cannot enter or exit the roundabouts or the bend at the junction to the proposed housing estate at the same time. When delivery lorries are parked then it is impossible to pass without mounting the footpath or service strip in the front gardens."
(13 Aug. 2002) ".....For how long will construction continue? Seven years as in Bush Gardens? Seven years of muck and other debris on the road, congestion with heavy plant, noise from 8am Monday to Saturday?. Eagry Park will no longer be the quiet residential area it is at present. Do the residents of Eagry Park have rights? Or do we have to be subjected to these discomforts due to the whims of planners, builders and those landowners hoping to make a quick profit?
(3 Aug 2001) ".... Safety of children, and presently an aged population of Eagry Park is threatened."
 
And here is Roads Service' considered response. And, by trawling through the public files at County Hall, as far as we can ascertain this has been their only written response to our worries. Here is part of a handwritten note from Road Service to the Planners on 23 August 2002 :- .
23/8/02 ”I refer to the various letters of objection for the proposed development and would advise that common sense would tell one that if a housing development is to be extended there will be construction traffic using the existing road“
I leave you to decide on the merits of such an observation.
 
But someone must have been worried about the impact of construction traffic through Eagry for as you can see, in January of this year (04) , the developer built another entrance to the site on the Straid Road, and in response to our queries on 2nd March 2004 we had a letter from the Divisional Planning Manager which included the following information: - .
2/3/04
"....... discussions have taken place between developer's professional advisers and Roads Service regarding a Temporary Works Access onto Straid Road, the purpose of which is to remove heavy construction traffic from Eagry Park "
That appeared as a planning application in the 10th March 2004 edition of the Coleraine Chronicle - nearly three months after the site traffic started using this entrance.
"Application number 0088/F. Lands adjacent to no 240 Straid Road, Bushmills. Retention of temporary construction access for a period of 18 - 24 months"
I am intrigued by the use of the word "Retention". Should this not be deemed a "Retrospective" planning application?
 
Permission for this temporary site entrance is only being requested for up to two years. Does this mean that the upper site (0247) construction traffic will still end up using narrow, steep, Eagry Park?
According to an item in the local newspaper (05/05/04) Planning has now approved this application

The Decision Notice for this temporary entrance was issued to the Developer on 23rd June 2004. With one of the provisos from Roads Service being that ... "The first 20m of temporary access from Straid Rd. to be surfaced with bitumen macadam to prevent mud from being deposited on the public road."

As of 13th December 2004 (nearly six months later) this has not happened and it is still 65 feet of muddy track.

This photo of the temporary entrance was taken 19th August, nearly two months after the Decision Notice was issued.

See "Enforcement" .

UPDATE In March 2005 a skim of tarmac was eventually laid on this temproary entrance road (some nine months late)

 
But they are not using this new "approved" entrance all the time. This photo was taken on 17 June 2004 and shows a large tractor and dumper trailer, having come off the construction site at the top end (0247), attempting to negotiate the small roundabout on the Eagry Park hill
Construction traffic on Eagry Park taken 17-06-04
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