Skip to content

Residents distraught at 40 weeks of blocked drives

BBC Radbourne Lane with cars parked on both sidesBBC
Residents in Radbourne Lane are due to have restricted access to their drives from January

Residents living in a road in Derby say they are angry and worried after being told building work means they will have "limited access" to their drives for 40 weeks.

People in Radbourne Lane, Mackworth, received the news in a letter on Friday from a construction company working on a development of 550 properties on land opposite existing homes on this road.

The letter said the work - being carried out from Monday to Saturday - means there will be "limited vehicle access to and from your drive at times".

Developers Miller Homes East Midlands said at no time will residents be unable to access their property and contractors will aim to minimise this disruption.

Radbourne Lane with fields surrounded by fencing on the left where houses are to be built and on the right are existing houses
At least one resident has said they are considering moving house

The letter was sent to residents living between the junction with Ashbourne Road (A52) and the Water Tower, opposite Moorgate, by contractors working on the development.

Residents have also been asked to re-arrange any home deliveries and collections between 08:00 and 1800 from Monday to Friday and between 08:00 and 13:00 on Saturdays.

Sandra Reeves, 62, who has lived in Radbourne Lane for 33 years, said she was unhappy about the prospect of limited access to driveways.

"I am so mad and it is so upsetting," she told the BBC.

"I am disabled and really need my car to get me to places. It is unbelievable.

"It's causing me bad anxiety - affecting my health."

Jake Parkin standing in front of a wall
Jake Parkin said he was worried about the impact on his mother

Her son Jake Parkin, 23, said: "We have all grown up here - it will impact us not in a good way at all."

Another resident, Connor Foley, 33, said: "Reducing the parking down here, restricting people getting on the drive, it's going to be absolute chaos.

"They have obviously not thought it through - you are going to have residents not only on this street but on the street next us without parking.

"I've sat at home for a week worrying about it."

Mr Foley, who works as a civil engineer, said: "I just don't know how it has got to this point that it's acceptable to block everyone's drives off, cause a huge disruption in the road for 40 weeks.

"It's a shame - myself and my neighbour are going to be looking at selling our houses as a result of this. That's how serious it is for the residents."

Land surrounded by a fence where homes will be built
Miller Homes said contractors would do what they can to minimise disruption

Mark Potter, technical director for Miller Homes East Midlands, said highway improvement work was required and would benefit all residents in the area.

"While we will minimise interruptions during our specified working hours, some access to people's properties will be affected by the nature of these essential works," he said.

"However, at no time will any resident be unable to access their property."

He encouraged residents to get in touch if they have any concerns.

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.

Related links