New Build Development Restricting Access to House

[towser]

My mother-in-law is in her mid-80s and lives on her own on the edge of a local town.

A new housing development has just started closeby and she's had a letter delivered this week stating that the direct road into the town will be inaccessible for between 3 to 18 months starting in January.

The alternative access route is via a long diversion on single track country roads, although she drives she doesn't have the confidence to drive on them.

It also means that it's likely to cut down on her visitors as they are of a similar vintage.

She's not the only person impacted there's about a dozen homes who got the letter.

This is going to have a huge impact on her and she's getting really low about the whole thing.

Is this legal, can it be sucessfully challenged?

[Dog Biscuit]

towser said:

My mother-in-law is in her mid-80s and lives on her own on the edge of a local town.

A new housing development has just started closeby and she's had a letter delivered this week stating that the direct road into the town will be inaccessible for between 3 to 18 months starting in January.

The alternative access route is via a long diversion on single track country roads, although she drives she doesn't have the confidence to drive on them.

It also means that it's likely to cut down on her visitors as they are of a similar vintage.

She's not the only person impacted there's about a dozen homes who got the letter.

This is going to have a huge impact on her and she's getting really low about the whole thing.

Is this legal, can it be sucessfully challenged?

Surely some permission must have been granted by the local authority?

Are there any contact details on the letter that can be used to ask questions?

It must be very upsetting for the MIL as generally older people lack confidence with new things and big changes.

[kiethton]

It's a shame but will have gone through the correct processes - not much that can be done unfortunately as there is still access

[hidetheelephants]

3-18 months? I'd be on to whoever her councillor is about that alone; is it 3 months or a year and a half? 3 months of relying on taxis might be tolerable, 18 months not so much, the vagueness is a joke. Will it be possible to park her car somewhere beyond the building works that's reasonably accessible and not too far on foot and not going to be obstructed by building paraphernalia? What is it specifically about the diversion roads; would driving along the diversion route with her as passenger a few times help or is she thrawn like Thatcher?

[towser]

hidetheelephants said:

3-18 months? I'd be on to whoever her councillor is about that alone; is it 3 months or a year and a half? 3 months of relying on taxis might be tolerable, 18 months not so much, the vagueness is a joke. Will it be possible to park her car somewhere beyond the building works that's reasonably accessible and not too far on foot and not going to be obstructed by building paraphernalia? What is it specifically about the diversion roads; would driving along the diversion route with her as passenger a few times help or is she thrawn like Thatcher?

Completely agree on the vagueness point...

Doing some digging this evening, according to ChatGPT : under the Scottish road-works regime, a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) can permit a road closure for works for up to 18 months.

So that upper limit probably isn't accidental.

Parking and walking isn't really a great option, she's not so great on her legs these days and the road has no pavement so not ideal.

Not sure about thrawn - she's only really taken up driving again recently after her hubby passed on so confidence is pretty thin.

Was hoping a few strongly worded letters to councillor and MP might help but not hopeful....

I think she'll just retreat into her shell and become lonely.

[hidetheelephants]

Thinking laterally; would she use a mobility scooter? Access for pedestrians and mobility scooters will have to be maintained even while the works are going on; while they're abhorrently expensive for what they are it could keep her social life going.

[towser]

hidetheelephants said:

Thinking laterally; would she use a mobility scooter? Access for pedestrians and mobility scooters will have to be maintained even while the works are going on; while they're abhorrently expensive for what they are it could keep her social life going.

ah....that's a good line to follow, will raise it with the Mrs.....thanks.

[hidetheelephants]

Best to check the road closure order and the planning paperwork to ensure that there really is an undertaking to maintain pedestrian access and if there isn't get on to the councillor about it; it's the kind of detail that gets 'lost' when the govt are talking endless ste about trying to get housing built despite knowing fine that what they've been doing for 20 years has achieved fk all and will continue to do so.

[JoshSm]

kiethton said:

It's a shame but will have gone through the correct processes

That's a very big assumption!

[paulw123]

If it's anything like the large development, not too far away from me that was on a busy through road that took a lot of traffic, the road will have on and off closures and traffic management for around 18 months. This one then had a short break of a few months then another 18 months of contest and closures, traffic lights etc. All told it was about 4 years of major disruption.

Felt very sorry for the original homeowners as they suffered for about four years with massive traffic chaos, road closures and massive amounts of disruption and all they got at the end of it was about 750 new build houses right behind them.

[konark]

JoshSm said:

kiethton said:

It's a shame but will have gone through the correct processes

That's a very big assumption!

The right palms will have been greased.

[POIDH]

You also need to talk to the developer. My experience, as an owner on a still being built estate, is that 'health and safety' was used as an excuse to divert and block when the reality was it was convenient for a contractor...