Residents fear '50 lorries a day' over farm plans

Residents fear up to 50 lorries per day will pass by their homes to bring soil to agricultural land damaged by erosion following storms.

Dozens of people from near Lanchester in County Durham raised concerns in response to a planning application for a site at Spring Gardens Farm.

Applicant Simon Graham wants to transport large quantities of soil to the land after storm damage sparked a chain of erosion, causing trees to fall and surrounding grassland to die.

He hit back at what he called the "misleading comments from surrounding neighbours".

The proposal, which was approved by Durham County Council's planning committee on Wednesday, covers land located east of the A6076 road near Lanchester and Burnhope which is used for haymaking and grazing for sheep, cattle and horses.

It said the "maximum" daily traffic of tipper wagons to deliver the soil would be 50 per day - 25 in and 25 out.

Gordon Ollivere, whose home borders the development site, said there would be a lorry every 10-15 minutes, adding: "I am also suffering from cancer and having to cope with that and hospital visits is something more than anybody would be prepared to put up with."

Lanchester Parish Council and Greencroft Parish Council also raised concerns over traffic impacts, highway safety, ecology and impact on the local landscape, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Paul Jackson, from Lanchester Parish Council, said: "The proposals do not conserve or enhance the special qualities of this landscape."

On the lorry traffic, county councillor David Boyes said: "It's a winding, narrow road, that goes from 30mph to 60mph. Taking wagons on this road is an accident waiting to happen."

But the council's highways officers said there has only been one minor incident near the site in the last five years.

Meanwhile, Mr Graham said: "The mental impact has been exhausting, when all we want to do is improve the betterment of the land and develop our farming business while moving forward as a family."

Supporting the applicant, county councillor Jim Atkinson said: "I see a family trying to do something with a space that they own."

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