ANGRY residents confronted highways officers in Skipton over plans for hundreds of new homes.

Officers, including the area highways manager, and North Yorkshire County Council's lead member, were left in no doubt of the strength of feeling from residents of Carleton Road, and Burnside.

Almost 80 people at a public meeting, held at Champions Church, were told of planned measures to cope with the approved 220 home Wyvern Park development, and the more recently agreed 106 homes off Carleton Road for Skipton based Candelisa.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire's executive member for highways, told residents planning could not be reversed, it had already been given by Craven District Council and they were there to discuss what highways measures could be implemented.

But residents remained unconvinced that highways improvements were far from enough and questioned the use of national modelling to cope with the specific issues in Skipton.

District councillor Peter Madeley said residents had been disappointed with highways officers and that they had hoped at least for a recommendation to refuse the latest scheme for 67 new homes off Carleton Road, which was passed by Craven District Council on the casting vote of the planning committee chairman.

The meeting was told by highways officer, Ken Martin, that there was no obligation for highways to attend Craven planning meetings, but officers could not attend if they were told not to.

Afterwards, Tim Forman, who with Skipton county councillor Andy Solloway had organised the meeting, said: "The infrastructure struggles to cope now and a recent independent survey shows that with only the approved new developments, and there will be more, the estimated minimum number of additional car journeys per day on Carleton Road will be 2,050," he said.

Cllr Solloway, said it was important to get funds released by the Wyvern Park developer, Henry Boot, in order to build the mini-roundabout onto Carleton Road.

He added: "I am trying to move things forward with some of the other safety improvements that were originally proposed, though there are some small measures that can be put in place very soon at small cost like dropped kerbs and improved signage."

Cllr Mackenzie said: “Feelings always run high when large-scale development plans such as these are permitted, nevertheless after 90 minutes of heated question and answers we received warm thanks from residents.

“Following the meeting some of our highways officers also spent some further time with residents on Carleton Road hearing about specific issues. They were able to explain first-hand the details of the decisions in relation to the pedestrian crossing. They also agreed to look at the provision of additional dropped kerbs where appropriate. We will to continue to work with residents to try to resolve their concerns in relation to road safety and the development.”

A spokesman for Craven District Council said its planning committee deferred a decision on the Candelisa application at its meeting in March to request an officer from highways to attend.

“Officers revisited their decision and investigated both the Candelisa application and the Wyvern Park scheme, and submitted a detailed report which came to the conclusion that neither scenario would cause any severe traffic problems, and so there was no objection on highways grounds. The highways authority did offer the planning committee an officer from Northallerton as a speaker, but as the officer would have no authority to alter the highways decision and the clarified highways response was provided in the committee papers in full, it was felt it was no longer necessary for an officer to attend.

“As the highways authority’s formal response remained 'no objections', the planning committee was strongly advised by officers to approve the application.”

Proposals include:

A mini roundabout onto Carleton Road from Wyvern Park.

Mini roundabout at Burnside - Carleton Road, subject to finding a new location for the bus stop.

Mini roundabout at Carleton New Road - Carlton Road with pedestrian traffic islands.

Changes to traffic signals at Carleton Road- Keighley Road junction.

Construction of link road between Wyvern Park and Engine Shed Lane - not part of Wyvern Park planning permission, but Craven District has funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership.