Concerns over access to Bangor surgery following new build

Nov 3 2010 by Daniel Bissett, Bangor and Anglesey Mail

Dickies boatyard, Bangor

CONCERN is growing about plans to convert the old Dickies Boatyard at Garth into 72 residential units.

An application was submitted last year to Bangor City Council’s planning and amenities committee by Watkin Jones and Son, who bought the boatyard from owner Peter Dickie in October 2007.

One of the major concerns residents and community leaders have is the potential traffic congestion on Garth Road because the only entrance and exit would be from this side of the development.

Apart from the extra traffic, staff at Meddygfa Deiniol Surgery at Bro Dawel are also worried about emergency vehicles possibly struggling to gain access to its premises.

Dr George Kurian, from the surgery, said: “It’s a narrow road and there are always plenty of parked cars, which makes access difficult to begin with,” he said.

“My proposal would be to have an alternative entrance to the site from Beach Road because apart from the people who live in the area, others sometimes use it as a shortcut from Upper Bangor, and when you have rubbish vehicles coming up and down, you’re talking about a lot of traffic even now.

“There’s also a Mexican restaurant which is set to open, and this will cause more traffic problems.

“I am concerned about my patients being able to get to the surgery and emergency vehicles getting access when they need it.

“The developers are talking about widening the road by one metre, but I don’t think this will make any difference.”

Don Mathew, a representative for local community body Grwp Bae Hirael, said: “Traffic and parking are already a nightmare in Garth Road, and having the cars and delivery vans for 70-plus households will make life intolerable – not to mention all the site construction traffic.”

In response, Mark Watkin Jones, managing director of the Watkin Jones Group attempted to play down any concerns regarding access to the site.

“The access route to the residential site was agreed following consultation with Gwynedd Council's highway's officers and is supported by the transport assessment carried out by our transport consultants,” he said.

“The transport assessment confirms that the junction between Garth Road and Beach Road is expected to operate within capacity following completion and that the scheme will not cause a detrimental impact on the highway network in this locality.

“The highway design includes for widening Garth Road up to the entrance to the surgery and as such access for emergency vehicles will be much improved over the current situation.

“The widened road design also includes for six additional on-street parking spaces in this area of Garth Road. The design ensures that the traffic for the residential scheme is kept separate from the commercial traffic that will be generated for the second phase of the site”.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “The developers are currently in discussions and we are awaiting further details from them before the application will be considered by the council’s planning committee.

“We can confirm that we have received letters of concern regarding access to the site.”