CAMPAIGNERS are urging residents of two Okehampton roads to write letters opposing the building of 500 new homes and a new school before any link road for the town is provided. Residents of Limehayes Road say not creating a link road prior to the proposed new development on land between Crediton Road and Exeter Road will cause even more traffic congestion on their once quiet residential road. They are also calling on the residents of Barton Road and other neighbouring roads to join the fight. Resident Sarah Potterton said evidence collected from a police survey last year found Limehayes Road carried approximately 200 cars an hour during peak time, but this figure would be greatly increased by the addition of new homes and a second primary school. Concerned residents of Limehayes Road held a meeting earlier this month to discuss the issue and decided their next course of action would be to write letters to the relevant officers at West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council. Mrs Potterton said: 'If we do not protest now, it is no good complaining later. 'Not installing a link road prior to any further proposed new housing developments within Okehampton will create even more traffic congestion on Barton Road, Limehayes Road and Exeter Road.' Mrs Potterton said access to Exeter Road from The Heathers, Craon Gardens, Holly Park and Fern Meadow was currently through Limehayes Road, which was already suffering from a greatly increased volume of traffic over the past five years. She said many drivers used the road as a shortcut with excessive speed. Mrs Potterton said: 'West Devon and Devon County Councils are currently displaying total apathy towards any kind of link road and see it merely as an aspiration for the future. 'This does not just impact Limehayes and Barton Roads, the effect of this new estate will compound the traffic problems for Okehampton generally and we would urge as many people as possible to write letters.' Mrs Potterton said she had lived in Limehayes Road for 22 years and it was now much busier than when she first moved to the town. 'I have noticed a huge change in the amount of traffic, certainly in the last five to ten years,' she said. 'I remember when I first came here I was in my garden and I said to my neighbour how lovely it was to sit and listen and hear no traffic noise.' Former mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech, who chaired the residents' meeting and is himself a resident of Limehayes Road, said it was important the views of local people were made clear. He said: 'It was a recommendation of the inspector's report at a public inquiry that a link road must be in place before any new development could go ahead, and that is being ignored by the planning authorities. 'They say it is only a recommendation and they do not have to act upon it. 'They are expecting the developers to pay for it piecemeal. So you get a road running through an industrial estate as the first part of that and any future development would fill the gap with Crediton Road. In the meantime, traffic problems just get worse and worse.' The land was allocated for housing as part of the Local Plan. A presentation on behalf of the landowner was held in the Charter Hall during November, but a detailed planning application has yet to be submitted. Campaigners have asked people who are concerned about the proposal to write as a matter of urgency to: Mr S Gill, head of planning, West Devon Borough Council, West Devon Borough Council Offices, Kilworthy Park, Tavistock, PL19 OBZ and Mr C Gubby, development control officer, Devon House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4PB.
