Sheffield cyclists call for pedestrian crossing as condition of Meadowhall warehouse plan
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Three objections have been lodged warning of an ‘unacceptable’ risk to pedestrians and cyclists on Wheedon Street which is ‘very wide’ and runs through the development site.
One says it is already dangerous due to the speed of some vehicles and a crossing needs to be installed as a condition of the planning application.
WHY IS THE FIVE WEIRS WALK IMPORTANT?
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Hide AdThe Five Weirs Walk crosses Wheedon Street and is described as a ‘key active travel route serving a major retail centre and high number of places of employment as well as providing access to natural space and other outdoor public amenities’.
Meadowhall co-owner British Land has submitted plans for four warehouses on its River Don District site to the south of the centre.
If approved by Sheffield City Council, it would be the first of three phases of logistics development that could employ 2,000. The company already has outline planning consent.
The move comes as online shopping booms, sparking demand for warehouses increases.
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Hide AdOne objector states: “The impact as described by the developers’ own traffic impact assessment will create an unacceptable increase in risk to pedestrians and cyclists using the Five Weirs Walk as they cross Wheedon Street.”
The statement adds: “The development should not be permitted unless the developer is inescapably legally required by planning conditions to ensure that a full, safe and separated pedestrian and cyclist crossing in line with current relevant highways design standards.”
Another states: “The lack of this crossing is against Sheffield City Council’s adopted policy, which includes the Connecting Sheffield schemes which will increase cycle traffic from Sheffield to Meadowhall and from Rotherham.”
WHY IS MEADOWHALL BUILDING WAREHOUSES?
Paul Case, development director at British Land, said previously: “The submission of this reserved matters application is the first step in the overall strategy to deliver a modern, market leading logistics development at Meadowhall.
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Hide Ad“The plans are part of British Land’s strategy to increase exposure to growth sectors including urban logistics and recycle capital from recent sales to build an urban logistics platform through a combination of acquisitions and development opportunities in its existing portfolio.”