Lochgelly residents left fuming over new path through street

Published 13 Jul 2010 14:04 9 Comments

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RESIDENTS of a quiet Lochgelly cul-de-sac are fuming after waking up to a new public path into their street.

Workmen tore down a fence separating Grace Street from the nearby New Farm development last Thursday morning.

But residents say they were not consulted and are concerned about a possible increase in vandalism, litter and noise from youths passing through.

Fife Council asked Lomond Homes to build the temporary path to help New Park residents access the town centre.

They say New Park residents were concerned about the safety of children and the elderly using informal routes.

Ernest McPherson, chair of Lochgelly Community Council, spoke to the Times from the site, just off Auchterderran Road. He said, "We don't want to stop anyone getting access to the site, but this new pathway has annoyed a lot of residents.

"You have to go through certain channels and the community council must be consulted as well as the people in the street.

Residents contacted the Times while the path was being built on Thursday.

Speaking from the site, Jay Cruickshank Gray, who stays at the corner of Grace Street and Auchterderran Road, said, "Lomond Homes and Fife Council are putting a pathway in without any consultation and this is a private road.

"What we've been told is that it's a temporary measure but after six months if they put in for planning permission, it will no longer be temporary. They are taking down a fence and are digging a path in a private street."

Fellow resident Colin Campbell, who has stayed in Grace Street for 17 years, said, "This is a private estate and any pedestrian access could mean an increase in vandalism, litter and noise. People could also park down here to get access and it's not a wide road."

Eillen McKenna, chair of Lochgelly Community Development Forum, said, "The people in the houses have not been consulted - they are doing it without permission."

Fife Council said planning terms the path requires the installation of a foot path link to the west of the site (Town Park Link) upon the completion of a building phase, but "in light of the current market conditions", it was not likely to be installed in the near future.

Kevin Treadwell, lead officer in Environment and Developer Services with Fife Council, said, "On the instruction of the Cowdenbeath Area committee, following their meeting of 23rd June 2010, officers met to resolve the concerns raised by residents at the lack of a formal route to access the town and the danger this posed particularly to young children and the elderly.

"It was agreed that a temporary foot path link between the site and Grace Street be installed until such time that the developer was able to fully implement the required foot path to the west of the site.

Accordingly, a temporary license was granted to the developer to install a temporary footpath over council land thus allowing the council to retain ultimate control.

"The council decided in the interest of public safety, a temporary link would alleviate the concern of residents and members."

A Lomond spokesperson said, "Although there was no formal planning obligation on Lomond to do so, Lomond was recently requested by Fife Council to install a short temporary footpath between our development at New Farm and Grace Street.

"Lomond agreed to this request and has implemented the footpath to the satisfaction of the council. The footpath is predominantly on Fife Council land and is now in its full control.

"Fife Council has informed Lomond that the footpath is temporary until such time as a footpath between the New Farm development and the Town Park is implemented.

"That later footpath is an obligation of the planning permission but is not due until a later point in the development of New Farm."

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Lomondperson
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 20:33
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As a resident of the Lomond Homes development I have a message to those in Grace Street,

Get A Life!!

It wasnt that long ago that I was a teenager and trust me I would NOT have been attracted to a LANE between a Street and a new housing development to loiter around or vandalise,

As said above the Lane is a temparary measure serving to keep youngsters and the elderly off the main stretch of road until another Lane can be put in,

So until then I suggest all you involved to run along to your little house's and let us access our big houses.

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bigmac
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Jul 15, 22:01
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Could the Fife Council clarify the position with Grace Street, as this resident (Campbell) suggest's that it is in fact a private residence area? If this is the case why are the street lights managed by Fife Council, do the residents want all that Fife Council have to offer however, wish to virtually have a gated community. Who knows next they will be applying for a traffic barrier with a wee man watching over who comes and goes!!

It strikes me that these sad residents of Grace Street have little else in their life that they are compromising the safety and security of persons to maintain their "private estate".

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Lomondperson2
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 18:05
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As someone who lives in the new development, I have to say that I am happy about the new path. Not only is it a quick route up to the main town but it's much safer than walking up the main drag from the a92 with all the idiots of the day speeding up that road and heAding the wrong way round the roundabout. Certainly would prefer kids using the new path than the old route.

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Jeff Miles And Son
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Jul 19, 04:35
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It's a path big deal I could see the point if this does happen but speculating at things is just stupid.

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Kissinger
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Jul 25, 14:37
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Although residents within the Lomond Homes development, we do empathise with the residents of Grace Street. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps a joint & united approach to both the council & the developers in an attempt to source a compromise agreeable to all parties, should have been sought.

We would however like to introduce some balance to the headline article dated 13 July. We in the new development are suffering exactly what the residents of Grace Street fear, namely, constant noise from youngsters. This disturbance escalated after the installation of the pathway and is exacerbated by dint of the incessant use of skateboards which frequently encroach into private gardens and on to driveways. This can go on from 9.00am until 10.30 at night. As a result residents feel besieged and unable to enjoy peace & quiet in the sanctuary of their own homes.

We therefore extend a hand to the residents of Grace Street and ask them to join us and together we can hopefully seek a resolution to what is an emotive subject for all concerned.

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Anonymous Coward
Unregistered User
Jul 28, 14:39
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The issue shouldn't be the pathway and a Grace Street vs NFV.

The real issue is, what consultations took place? Were residents given the chance to object or support the proposed plans? Were the proposed plans publicly displayed? Were the plans and the process of the plans fully compliant with the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997?

This isn't the 1st time that Lomond Homes have made breaches with their planning obligations, for instance there was the illegal access road they created when development first began. Secondly, they did have approved plans for a pathway that would have avoided this issue. Why was this plan not adhered to?

Lastly, to some of the private owners of homes in NFV that are being derogatory to the residents of Grace Street. There has been much talk locally of the petitions you have started to (a) remove council tenants from their homes in NFV, and (b) stop children playing in the street.

That frankly is a disgusting set of affairs, when you think your money entitles you to dictate who and who cannot live in your street.

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jimmy
Unregistered User
Sep 4, 01:21
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i think ppl in grace st are old & dont like change. dont worry pals, us folk in the new houses wont harm u, were normals just like u lot!!!!!!

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jimmy
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Sep 4, 01:22
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i think ppl in grace st are old & dont like change. dont worry pals, us folk in the new houses wont harm u, were normals just like u lot!!!!!!

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live the difference
Unregistered User
Sep 4, 21:26
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i do not normally respond to any nonsense but this is what all this is with grace st and lomond homes you are all acting like children and needing to grow up,you are all fighting over a piece of fence being taken down when there are grown men just out of school when you see what age they are getting killed in afghan. you say we are parking cars in your street as long as there is road tax on them they can be parked anywhere , also saying we are commuters well most of us here have been born and bred in lochgelly and cowdenbeath. we pay our council tax just like grace st.if you want to treat us like snobs then we will act like snobs and live the difference . before the fence was taken down a ladder was put up for the children in grace st to come into our development , also who built the wall on the corner house in grace st?so for god sake lomond put the fence back up and shut them out and it may shut them up. live the difference live in lomond.

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