No go for £86,000 road improvement grant for Hardwicke
A ROAD improvement grant of £86,000 will no longer be paid out by a Hardwicke housing developer.
The money had been planned as part of the Sellars Farm development to improve highways in the village.
But it has since been taken out of a section 106 agreement signed off by Gloucestershire County Council.
Stroud district councillor Graham Littleton (C, Hardwicke) told parish councillors at a recent meeting that he was concerned about the removal of the provision.
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He understood that the money had been offered by a developer but the county council had deemed highway improvements unnecessary.
3 Comments
by RoadWombat
Monday, March 04 2013, 5:40PM
“Okay, a couple of differing points from Matt and BishopHooper, so lets get a few things straight.
Firstly, whilst it might be seen as good for the money to be spent elsewhere if it is deemed Hardwicke doesn't need it, money given under schemes such as this can only be spent in the area immediately affected. Read on and you'll see why.
Secondly, it is a pipe-dream to think it would be spent of mending potholes etc. That's not what it's for! The idea of the money is to make road improvements to mitigate any problems that might be caused by the new development itself (for example, if it would mean heavily increased traffic flow, necessitating the provision of traffic lights or road-widening etc.).
The idea is that developers can't just build, take their profit and walk away without making some contribution towards sorting out any traffic problems their development might cause.
Unfortunately, councils often use it as an excuse to pay for silly and unnecessary traffic lights/calming etc. simply because someone else will foot the bill.
So, if you want your roads to be free of clutter, be thankful they've decided against it!”
by Matt1006
Monday, March 04 2013, 11:06AM
“If the developer was offering the money, then take it. And then spend it elsewhere, if genuinely not needed in the vicinity of the development. Certainly no shortage of other areas this money could have very quickly been spent. How many potholes could have been filled in (properly) with £86k...???”
by BishopHooper
Monday, March 04 2013, 10:36AM
“The roads around Hardwicke dont need improvement?? Obviously NO ONE from the council has driven around there recently then! They are in a shocking state, and them dumping ANOTHER 200 homes on Hardwicke and Quedgeley's doorstep will make them even worse. Well done to the County Council for once again not being able to see past their nose.”