Local Lib Dem councillors have moved to put a stop to plans to allow lorries of up to 30 tonnes to enter a quiet residential road that is being besieged by building works at a nearby school. Residents of Burlington Road in Muswell Hill have had to put up with months of mud, disruption and even subsidence to their houses from the near constant access by contractor’s lorries during the construction of a new sports building at Fortismere School.

However the already bad situation is set to worsen as, until now, there has been a restriction placed on the contractors by Haringey’s Planning Committee limiting lorries to 7.5 tonnes. Now, an application has been lodged to allow lorries of up to 30 tonnes to use Burlington Road between September 2002 and April 2003.

Local Lib Dem councillor Stephen Gilbert (Fortis Green ward) and Opposition Leader Lynne Featherstone are both campaigning with the local residents on the issue. Cllr Gilbert has written to the council, both objecting to the application and also to the plans to make the decision behind closed doors by council officers using delegated powers.

Cllr Gilbert is insisting that this application come to a proper planning committee and also that it is not swept through in August when many people are away.

Meanwhile, Cllr Lynne Featherstone has arranged a meeting with Paul Smith, senior planner, to present in person the residents’ objection and to try and persuade him to recommend refusal of this variation. The meeting is arranged for Friday 26th July.

Commenting Lynne Featherstone said:

“This change in the restriction is unacceptable. The original condition was applied particularly ‘to minimise the impact on residential amenity.’ As nothing has changed since the restriction was imposed, I can see no reason for this condition to be removed.”