Question received From Councillor Ellwood:
In light of the start of the building of Gedling Access Road in 2018 and the likelihood that the existing footpath that connects Lambley Lane Recreation Ground with Gedling Country Park will be removed during the building of the Access Road; has the Council got any plans to retain access from the south side of the Country Park for walkers during the period of construction of the Access Road with a designated access point?
Minutes:
Councillor Ellwood submitted the following question:
“In light of the start of the building of Gedling Access Road in 2018 and the likelihood that the existing footpath that connects Lambley Lane Recreation Ground with Gedling Country Park will be removed during the building of the Access Road; has the Council got any plans to retain access from the south side of the Country Park for walkers during the period of construction of the Access Road with a designated access point?”
Councillor Payne provided the following response along with a site plan for all Members:
“Following a request for information on what the Council will do to help retain access from Lambley Lane Rec to the south side of the Country Park for walkers during the period of construction of the Gedling Access Road [GAR] with a designated access point. I can inform you that;
Advance GAR Drainage Works are now taking place [for 12 weeks] which will be mildly disruptive. The contractor has indicated that the former mineral line path from Lambley Lane Rec. into the Country Park will remain open. But they will have to close it off for short durations most probably at the start and end of the day whilst plant is moved on and off the site. It is not envisaged that this path will have to be closed off other than these short duration times and a banksmen will stop pedestrians from using the access during this time. The times will be advertised on site by the contractor when this will be happening.
As a result of these works, part of the path around the lagoon shown on the attached plan in yellow, is now closed off and pedestrians are being diverted to access the country park via alternative access past the lagoons, via the vehicular access for the park up the concrete road also indicated on the map.
Regarding the issue of establishing a designated access point from the far end of Lambley Lane Rec. to the Country Park during the period of time when the main GAR construction works take place. Nearer the time Viaem have stated that they will let the Service Manager Parks & Street Care know timescales for this when they have a more detailed programme, but works are currently estimated to commence Autumn 2018 at present.
Council Officers will recommend to Viaem - the Highways Authority, that they do ‘all in their power’ to retain access from Lambley Lane Rec to the south side of the Country Park for walkers during the period of construction of the Access Road with a designated access point. The path in question will have to be closed off for periods of time, hopefully some of short duration and it is hoped a banksmen will be present to stop pedestrians from using the access during this time. But when the main construction of this section of road takes place adjacent to the Country Park access will need to stop because of a health & Safety duty of care to local residents. The duration of this closure is unknown at present as programme plans for the works are still being drafted.
However the long term proposal is to retain the access from Lambley Lane Rec to the south side of the Country Park in the future by constructing a path that will run the full length of the Rec and beyond to the new traffic island being created just beyond the lagoons near to the current Methane Exaction plant where there will be formal access from the rec direction and from the new Keepmoat development.”