PLANS for a “dangerous” new road access on a bend in a Forest village have been deferred.

District planners say they could not make decisions on the plans for an access for Court Farm in Broad Street, Littledean until they have a new speed survey.

Emma Bazeley wants permission from the Forest of Dean District Council to ease congestion in and around the existing farm access.

The proposals for a new access to be 13.4ft wide and to have an 26.2ft radius at the junction with Broad Street.

Court Farm is regularly obstructed by parked vehicles, resulting in a search for drivers among the customers of the garage and salon requesting vehicles be moved, according to the applicant.

Access to and from the farm for large farm vehicles, horseboxes and delivery vehicles is particularly problematic due to their larger swept paths, they said.

And on occasions, delivery vehicles have had to park on Broad Street with goods and materials transferred to Court Farm on foot or by hand-trolley.

Highways officers said the new access will benefit from visibility splays of more than 55 yards when emerging from the access looking right, towards the village, and 63.4 yards left, facing up the hill towards Cinderford.

However, councillors raised serious concerns at today’s (October 10) development management committee meeting of the actual speed of vehicles travelling down from Cinderford.

Chairman Dave Wheeler (G, Newland and Sling) feared the risk of heavy goods vehicles coming down the hill, which have a longer stopping distance, hitting a stationary vehicle which is stationary while indicating to turn right into the farm.

A motion to approve the proposals was defeated by seven votes to four and a subsequent proposal by Cllr Beth Llewellyn (G, Bream) to defer the scheme was approved by nine votes to two.

The council will ask the developer for a new survey which looks at the speed of vehicles travelling down the hill.