Villagers shocked as Airfield appeal could add up to 1,000 vehicle trips a day through Marsworth

A development appeal could lead to as many as 1,000 extra vehicle movements a day through Marsworth and along the narrow lane to Gubblecote and Long Marston, shocked villagers were told at a public meeting on Monday evening.

Around 60 local people attended the gathering at Marsworth Village Hall, where councillors outlined concerns about a fresh appeal for up to 320 homes on the former Marsworth Airfield site.

Parish council chairman Bob Kennedy said developers Ainsclough Strategic Land were attempting to overturn the refusal of plans for the site. It is the third time proposals for the airfield have been rejected, largely because of concerns over inadequate transport infrastructure.

Parish and Bucks councillors urged residents to submit representations before the November 19 deadline for comments to the Planning Inspector.

The residents and councillors from Marsworth and Tring Rural parishes were shown the traffic mitigation measures proposed by the developers along Lukes Lane and into Vicarage Road.

The detailed plans include road widening, visibility splays, traffic calming, loss of some trees and hedgerows, resurfaced and widened footways, uncontrolled pedestrian crossings, 30mph signs, lighting columns, traffic signals, a pedestrian lane on Red Lion Bridge and retaining walls where banks would need to be cut back.

However, Bob Kennedy warned it remained unclear whether the developers' contribution would cover the full cost of the works, which would have to be carried out by Buckinghamshire Council.

He said: "The previous objection was that the highway was not wide enough for the volume of vehicles. This has overcome a number of objections, but the main route remains without a continuous walkway.

"There is a proposal to put houses over an air fuel pipeway, which wouldn't be allowed. And there are no improvements proposed in Wingrave Road.

"Traffic lights are proposed at the 4.1m wide Red Lion bridge in Marsworth, with a 1m wide footway, leaving just 3.1m for vehicles.

"The national standard for single track roads in 3.5m, a big weakness in their plans. The footway is not wide enough for wheelchairs or double buggies. It's a real pinch point and completely unsuitable for high volume traffic."

Mr Kennedy also raised concerns about the future of the Grade II listed bridge.

"The bridge is 240 years old and one day will fall down," he said, adding that vehicle strikes would only increase the risk.

"The impact of the complete closure of any of the bridges in the area would be a complete nightmare.

"It would be insane to rely on such a weak part of the infrastructure. A footbridge would certainly be required alongside the Red Lion bridge. But we don't want the development at all."

Councillor Steve Smith said parking used by canal boaters beyond the bridge would be lost, while some of the proposed retaining walls would run alongside the churchyard.

Residents also expressed concern about the impact of construction traffic, including 32-44 tonne HGVs using local lanes, crossing Red Lion Bridge and negotiating the crossroads at Long Marston.

The meeting heard that the cumulative impact of major developments proposed elsewhere, including schemes at Tring and Cheddington, would not be considered as the Bucks local plan has not yet reached approval.

Previous suggestions for a new link road across the airfield to Cheddington Lane had also been dismissed as unaffordable.

The Marsworth Airfield site lies partly in Buckinghamshire and partly in Dacorum, with around 75 per cent of the land falling within Bucks and 25 per cent within Hertfordshire.

Bucks councillor for Ivinghoe ward, Chris Poll said: "This development simply can't work. Lukes Lane is just not suitable and up to 1,000 vehicles a day over Red Lion bridge just doesn't compute.

"Bucks Council will work with Dacorum and put senior planners into the appeal. But one thing that concerns me is how much Bucks is prepared to spend defending this.

"What you can do is make objections, for example that the Red Lion bridge issue is insurmountable, and using Lukes Lane in this way is unsustainable.

"If the Planning Inspector sees a large number of representations, it will make him/her take notice. The developers will throw as much at this as is financially viable, but there will come a point when they say no.

"With so much development proposed in Ivinghoe Ward, we are all in this fight together."

Residents wishing to comment on appeal number 6013847 can do so before 19 November via the Planning Inspectorate website at https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/enter-appeal-reference