Road danger fears grow

Axminster Town Council says a pavement is urgently needed along the increasingly busy highway between Weycroft and Millwey Rise

FEARS are growing for the safety of people walking alongside a busy main road in Axminster.

Town councillors say increasing development in the area between Millwey Rise and Weycroft means provision of a pavement has become a priority.

They are urging East Devon District Council planners to make contributing towards one a condition of any future approval for homes or business units there.

Town councillors made the case when considering an application from Devon Logistic Ltd to demolish its current offices on the Millwey Rise industrial estate and replace them with a new two-storey building.

Members agreed to support the scheme, but to tell the district’s development management committee that money should be provided towards a footway.

They said: “Some of the section 106 funding arising from this proposal should be directed towards the provision of a paved pathway between Millwey and Weycroft, in conjunction with similar funding arising from the development of the Rodney Rendell site.

“This section of road has become much used by pedestrians following the creation of the Cloakham to Weycroft cycle path and provision of a paved footway would address safety concerns by removing the need for pedestrians to walk on the road.”

l Earlier this year the town council condemned planners for giving the go ahead for a major homes development on the former Rodney Rendell site, alongside Chard Road, at Millwey. They warned that children could be put at risk from commercial vehicles and the residents in the new homes – 26 houses and 16 flats – would be subjected to smells and noise from the neighbouring industrial units.