Today we were driving down Bunwell road, near the new building plot. We had the green light on the temporary lights, a man from the build site rushed to the front of our car and stood within inches, with his hand raised, shouting "stop,stop" at my husband. we had no choice but to stop or the car would have hit him. He then waved to a huge lorry to reverse down from Hill road, to the site & reverse in. All this took some time , & I remonstrated with the big man in the road,telling him that I had a medical appointment and was going to be late. The reply was obscene, and he told me that I should shut up or else....!
A couple of hours later we were returning from the hospital when, at the traffic lights again, a lady pushing a wheelchair with a man 'on board' and accompanied by 2 lads was having to walk down the road as there were cars parked along the footpath. the cars were all to do with the building site and the situation was totally dangerous. There is plenty of room 'on site' & no need to park either on the footpath on Bunwell road or up Hill road.
The Site Manager needs to take control of the workforce and visitors to the site. Yes, I have phoned the number on the board & each time I am told to ring the Site Manager. (He doesn't answer his phone). This site does not conform to the Health & Safety rules in apparel & seems to be above the rules of the Highway code.
This is appalling. Sadly, though, I'm not surprised. In your shoes I would put my complaint in writing to the developers head office with a copy to the police as a threat was made to you.
As a village we seem to be increasingly faced with this kind of abuse and inconsiderate behaviours. Maybe if any of us have to engage with these people we should put our phones on "record" so we have evidence of the conversation and also take photos of highway, pavement obstruction and any other dangerous situations and distribute copies to the developers, highways department and police as appropriate.
This is completely disgusting. I just cannot believe someone would act in that way. Hopefully you can describe him to the Site Manager so he can be questioned about his appalling behaviour.
The site seems to be a law to itself..
The traffic lights are situated in a dangerous place and I have seen lorries mounting the pavements on several occasions. The slowly down at the lights and pulling away again is also terribly noisy! I live very near the lights!
A few months ago I was walking past The Ridings/Orchard development in Station Road and received a load of abuse SHOUTED at me from a workman sitting in his lorry at this site. He thought I had taken a photo as I was using my mobile phone. His SHOUTING was obviously meant to be intimidating but I ignored him and just kept walking. I thought how pathetic he was and how sad that residents have to put up with this type of vile behaviour.
In reply to the person who thought the Police should be made aware of the dangerous situation with regards to the footpath being blocked.... today, 13th July, at 3.45pm, 2 police cars drove through the traffic lights near Hill road, they did not stop to investigate why there were 2 'Drakes' vans on the footpath, also 4 traffic signs on the footpath, completely blocking it. It beggars belief that they just drove on & ignored this obvious infringement of the pedestrians rights to use a footpath.
If anyone with any pull with our local constabulary reads this, please, please use your pull to make the 'Powers That Be' aware of the disgraceful conditions we mere villagers have to contend with on a daily basis.
The Norfolk Police administration is organised by Norfolk County Council. Cllr Colin Foulger is the County Councillor covering Spooner Row, you could try contacting him.
Another farcical day in Spooner Row!!! The workmen on the Bunwell rd building site have hit & burst the water main AGAIN!!!
This is becoming an increasing annoyance, they are so incompetent, (I wonder if the houses will stand the test of time)
I hope Anglian Water are charging the building site for this gross ineptitude & not upping our bills next year. Yes, I am VERY cross about the inconvenience caused by this site.
I am getting sick and tired of the casual way this village is regularly being mistreated. There are too many unwanted housing developments which don't affect the landowners themselves; builders & contractors are rude and abusive and they cause immense inconvenience and highway dangers and regularly damage water supplies; others want to secretly reallocate the village playing field for a school extension to cater for all the unwanted housing developments; HGV traffic including sewage carrying lorries making things unpleasant on the ill-suited HGV route plonked through the centre of the village causing highway problems and congestion.
Hi, not too late to respond to Planning Application 2017/1321 for 9 houses in Station Road where some of these concerns can be made. The powers that be need to know.
I have spoken to Mr Alston this morning and given him a "heads up" on this thread. Let's give him a chance to sort this one out with his contractor and calm things down.
This incident that took place outside the Bunwell Road development four days ago has just been brought to my attention. As the developer of the site, I am very sorry to hear that such as serious incident took place and I will do all that I can to identify the individual responsible and see that appropriate action is taken. For this to happen, could I please ask that the person concerned to contact me on 07702 402190. We can then decide how best to take matters forward from there. The main contractor, E N Suiters and any sub contractors appointed by them are all expected to behave in a courteous and civil manner and clearly this has not happened. Normally the correct thing to do is to contact the site manager, Shaun Green at the time. Sadly its seems that this has not been possible and so this too needs looking into.
As for the various comments about workmen's vehicles being parked on the road, again I would like to apologise. I share your frustration on this and agree that it is both dangerous and unacceptable. I have tried very hard over the duration of the build project to stop this from happening and to ensure that sufficient off road parking is available for the workmen. I will bring this matter up again with E N Suiters and I will continue to monitor this issue.
Thank you Mr Alston for your comments; unfortunately the idea of parking onsite & not on the footpath is lost on the 'Drakes' van drivers who insist on causing pedestrians the walk down the road. Maybe a phone call to the number on the vans may work, but I doubt it. Ethics & good manners fall short with their employees.
Yet again Tuesday evening the loud mouth contractor was abusing people. He was shouting and giving hand signals to a driver.
The whole situation is a complete hazard. The narrowness of the road at present combined with the traffic lights is terrible.
There is constant noise, commotion, traffic hold ups and general disruption. As more houses have been given the go ahead at this site the problem is going to be pro-longed! Something serious will happen but only then will people wake up. Perhaps the people in charge should try living here.
The people in charge are well aware of the abuse and hazardous situation. If things carry on the way they are and something bad happens then they need to be answerable. New housing doesn't mean local people have to put up with this.
I note that the chicane on Bunwell rd has been broken down (again), it takes a very heavy vehicle to do this much damage, I hope that the HGV driver/company responsible will be billed for the repairs . Or even better, can it be moved to a less dangerous & more sensible site, further up the road where traffic really roars past.
In an attempt to see if I could find out who ripped out a post at the safety gate on Bunwell Road, I dropped in this afternoon and spoke with Shaun Green (the ENS foreman at the development). A most informative and friendly chat ensued and covered a number of concerns.
The contractors on site had already been gathered together and spoken with on the matter of the road rage incident last week. My grandfather once told me to always listen to both sides before forming an opinion and I am now better informed as to what was said by both parties. Please let me know via the message board or 07748 300820 if things do not improve.
I reminded Shaun that you cannot ‘stack’ delivery lorries on Bunwell Road. He agreed and explained that they do employ scheduling but find that delivery drivers often just arrive, outside of slot and unannounced. If any of you see multiple lorry arrivals resulting in park ups or Drake delivery drivers parked up on the kerb, please txt or call me.
We spoke about the last water incident and with what I heard I shall be speaking with Anglian Water on Monday. Shaun explained that the plans provided by Anglian Water have been grossly incorrect, even to the point that on one occasion a water main shown to be on the other side of the Bunwell Road turned out to be 10ft into their site. If this turns out to be true then we should be shouting at Anglian Water and not the contractor.
He apologised for the ‘ghost’ 4-way traffic lights that went up last week and then came down within days when it appeared that no work was being done. Although, in truth, this was down to Mervyn Lamberts (the traffic light people) getting their dates in a mix. I have spoken to Mervyn Lamberts and they acknowledged their error.
I had noticed the narrowness of the highway by the traffic lights earlier this week and unfortunately I was not able to follow up an earlier call to Adrian Jacklin (Highways Engineer at South Norfolk Council) before 5pm arrived and SNDC shut up shop.
This development site has had its problems and I was heartened to have an open and friendly chat with the site foreman this afternoon. Shaun was confident that things will improve but please let me know if you come across something that gets you annoyed.
And, if anyone can shed light on the tractor that clattered the safety gate please call me on 07748 300820.
Thanks for looking at this, but the developer's and contractor's side of the story sounds like they operate under a scheme of muddle and confusion and the blame of others. I won't hold my breath about improvements.
As a very minor complaint in the great scheme of the building site, the small grass triangle at the junction of Hill road & Bunwell road (nearest the site) was quite a nice wild flower & grass patch which I had seeded. It looked quite good for a few years, natural & in keeping with the rural area. Now it is barely visible because of the trucks driving over it. The road sign is mangled, will this all be re.instated by ENS when they eventually finish with the site? I'm not holding my breath!
I don't know who you are, but what a lovely thing to do, to lay grass and wild flower seed on a small piece of land for everyone to enjoy. I feel quite upset this has been ruined.
I asked last week for a meeting to be called to try and identify the individual on the building site who had allegedly been rude to a passing motorist. One of the contractors was only too willing to come forward as the man responsible and his side of the story was very interesting. Despite me making the offer for the motorist involved to contact me on this matter, I have heard nothing. Unless they do so then there is nothing more that I can do on this matter. I would love to be able to say what the contractor accuses the motorist of doing and saying, but it would not be suitable for printing on this message board. What I will say is that everyone has a right to be able to work in a safe environment. The actions of this motorist, and I have no reason to disbelieve the contractor, put all those concerned in danger. People also have a right not to be verbally assaulted.
If I was that motorist, I wouldn't want to contact you with that judgemental attitude.
I agree people have the right not to be verbally assaulted, as you say, but that works both ways. Of course, everyone has a right to be able to work in a safe environment, BUT residents also have the right to live in a safe environment including the use of the highway unobstructively. This development seems to have become a bit of a problem.
Maybe now is the time to start thinking about better village signs to the roads leading in and out of the village instead of the upended pallets that we seem to have at present . I have recently seen white painted fencing with village names and flower troughs beneath at a village whilst on holiday . It looked miles away from what we have and certainly more welcoming . I know the locations on the chicanes at minute are open to abuse but maybe the village signs could be else ware further up the road . Just a thought
I have seen the workers shouting at a motorist with hand signals and also heard of the other incident with the person who started this thread.
I have also witnessed childish behaviour from the workers..
So I don't think there has been just a one off incident.
The site is a nightmare and should never have been allowed to go ahead. There is NO consideration or thought for the locals at all. The properties look an eye sore and are completely over priced.
Does anyone know when the traffic lights are being removed?
I am sick of the constant noise of pulling up and pulling away.
As for the tractor driver who demolished the chicane wooden structure.. this was bound to happen with such a narrow road and awkward angle of getting through.
Village signs would be nice and more welcoming as at the moment this village feels like a construction slip Road!
Well if the builder told you a different story and that the motorist is in the wrong, well then the motorist is obviously in the wrong! I mean there wouldn't be any incentive for him saying otherwise would there? its not like he would face disciplinary action or even lose his job is there?
You have shown nothing but disregard for residents from the moment this unwelcomed development was given the go ahead (despite a total 100% opposition from all residents). The development is an eye sore and frankly your reply above is nothing short of insulting to the residents who have to LIVE next door to it. Unlike you! You even saw fit to change from a plan that was sympathetic to residents to one which is completely void of consideration.
I feel nothing but sorrow for the immediate residents directly affected by this development. All they can expect in the coming years is more grief and issues.
So please Mr Alston, do not further antagonize residents who have already had to bear so much.
Thank you for being SO supportive sir. I have no intention of becoming embroiled in this nasty, selfish attitude man's arguments. We are very close to this eyesore of a site and cannot use the foot path anymore because signs, vehicles & general rubble which is strewn across it. This evening I saw the lady pushing the wheelchair in the road, again, this is so wrong!!! When the tragedy happens, will decency prevail? We have footpaths in this village so the people can use them, not to provide a space for business's to place signs, (or hedges to grow across them)
Please, keep the footpaths for walking on and don't block them.
Oh no, even a wheelchair user is having to use the road on a lorry route, this is very worrying. How was this development and its unsympathetic revised version ever allowed?
Still, the developer is likely to make millions of pounds from the unwanted high-density developments on agricultural land.
On a serious note this village is not what it used to be. I am open to change and not one to moan but all these houses and the way the residents have no voice is just terrible and degrading.
It's disgusting that residents feel they are driven out of their homes because of this. Don't go buying another property anywhere in the District of South Norfolk as the Council's policy (or incompetent lack of providing a 5 year housing land supply policy) is to build, build and build some more, nowhere is safe. There's one local exception and that is if you are an ordinary local resident who wants to build a single unintrusive property, which has 100% support from the neighbours, then the answer from the council is to Refuse. Only big land owners seem to get what they want. The Bunwell Road housing development is an eye sore and totally out of character for this village, it is causing immense problems and an ugly carbuncle that none of us wants.
People like (..edited..) don't care for the villagers. It's been like living on a building site for months - noise, dirt, abuse, increased traffic, etc... like the previous poster said, there was ZERO support for this development from the residents, but hey, when there's big profits to be made, what does it matter???
-- Edited by webstation on Sunday 30th of July 2017 09:13:50 AM
There was a time not so long ago when the local landowners had philanthropic tendencies towards local people, one such lady held in high esteem to this day is Mrs Routh-Clarke. Now it seems to be all about financial gain. What happened to the bus pick-up & turning point, the areas of open space and allotments included with the original planning approval? For the developer to reapply once approval is in place to remove these and replace with yet more profit making houses is the pits. The developer even told us all at the open session that they were in negotiations to improve the rail timetable, I don't see any evidence of that happening. It's all a ploy to get as many properties built as possible to maximise profit.
I really feel for those taking the brunt of the noise, dirt, pollution, abuse, loss of water, extra traffic and road obstructions.
Yes, there were several philanthropic landowners at one time. A case in question was Dennis Long who planted a large wood in Wreningham. It is called Long's Wood - what better testimony and legacy is that ? Also, North Elmham have their Millennium Wood and adjacent pastures in which people can walk. Wood Norton also has its Conservation Meadow managed by the community. So actually these latter villages' achievements are not in the dim and distant past so perhaps there is still chance for a change of heart in Spooner Row? I hope so.
The properties on the Bunwell Road are okay, albeit too close, but as ever the landowner has moved the original goal posts and now the whole effect of a rural development in the village is lost.
Oh Joy of Joys!!! Now the traffic lights seem to have gone wrong.................We were waiting at the red light to get up the Bunwell road, (another car in front of us) when a new type Mini overtook us at at least 40 mph and roared past! We 2 cars went through the still red light carefully, to read a handwritten sign on the board telling drivers that 'they' thought the lights had failed. What else can go wrong? Flooding, footpath blocked, electricity out, motorists abused, water off, chicane smashed, this list just gets longer. We're not in the first flush of youth, and it is becoming a worry as to how much more we are expected to tolerate. We're nearing breaking point. Does Mr (..edited..) realise what pressure he is putting on the people who have to LIVE here in his search for wealth, therefore power. We have just about had enough and when 'he' is in his ivory tower/mansion, will he think about this and have a tweek of guilt, I think NOT. He will be far too busy counting his money to worry about the rest of us who have had all these problems.
-- Edited by webstation on Sunday 30th of July 2017 09:16:12 AM
How ridiculous. If traffic lights fail you don't write something on a board! You go out and hire another set of working lights, get them fixed immediately, or have a man with a 'stop and go' sign. There is a legal duty to maintain safety on the highways. These type will just do what they think they can get away with and either just don't care or don't believe they will suffer any loss or action taken against them as a result of their failures.
Maybe the landowner should think about getting a better quality of workmen in to do the work. A previous poster mentioned that it would be better if the workers put their energy into how to use the digger properly rather than abuse villagers, that level of incompetence is just not acceptable.
The sad thing is that the conditions and planning consents, including the horrible revised version, were all approved by planners and decision makers at the local Planning Authority at SNC. Do they continue to endorse this?
This village has had years of problems and hassle created by unwanted development by SNC, which other local villages have not had to endure. What is going on?
Yet another bit of inconsiderate blocking of pathway on Bunwell Rd . Today my Wife , Granddaughter ,dog and myself were walking along the pathway opposite the new development , an A S Asphalt lorry was parked totally across the pathway with 2 guys inside . A Newalls lorry was trying to pass the A S lorry one way and a land rover with trailer was trying to pass from the other way , WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE ! We waited thinking that the A S Asphalt lorry would move but the guys just sat there watching !!!! We eventually took a chance and passed both Newalls lorry and A S lorry via the road ! As we passed the A S lorry driver said sorry but didn't sound interested and seemed totally unconcerned that they were causing a potential hazard . It beggars belief that common sense in some people does not exist ! Here's to the next close encounter !!
I think that perhaps this does come under 'Abuse to Villagers' in that, whilst walking around the village in the last few days, I have witnessed some very bad driving and in particular two pieces of extremely bad driving. It would appear that some drivers feel they can throw caution to the wind when coming through the village, it really has to be seen to be believed. That coupled with some very large lorries which turn right from Station Road into Bunwell Road - not sure where they are headed for ?
I couldn't agree more about 'throwing caution to the wind' & huge lorrys. Yesterday we encountered 3 lorrys (in convoy) from the same company, they were white, coming from from the crossing, down towards the pub & turning up Bunwell road. We had a horrendous right turn from Chapel road as there was a grey car parked very near the junction on Station road (& it had 'L'plates on too).
The lorries may be legal, the car may have been 5 yds from the junction (but I doubt it) but WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE? a. to run huge lorrys through this village, bumper to bumper & b. to park a car where it is a hazard to other road users? It seems that no.one cares about other road users or pedestrians, wheelchair users, dog walkers, just as long as they can be 'comfortable'.
Before someone has a dig at me for intolerance, I am a driver, I have driven for many years & (I hope) have never caused problems for other road users, with or without wheels.
