Longhoughton Parish Council: Road concerns and public meeting planned

The road at Ratcheugh between Longhoughton and Denwick, where councillors are calling for urgent repairs.

The parish council has continually asked for improvements to be made to the stretch’s deteriorating surface, which members say is made worse by regular HGV traffic.

And speaking on Monday night, Coun Billy Bell said: “It continues to get worse, and it isn’t just the potholes. There will be an accident there.”

Coun Carole Green added: “You are waiting for a crash to happen. Because the edges of the road are being worn away, vehicles are moving into the middle and are getting closer and closer together.”

Longhoughton county councillor Wendy Pattison said that numerous potholes should have been filled in and she will push for action.

○ A public meeting is being held for all Boulmer residents to discuss a housing plan, plus any other village issues.

The meeting will be held in the village hall on Wednesday, July 5, at 7pm.

One of the main issues on the agenda will be Northumberland Estates’ proposal to build 10 to 12 houses in Boulmer.

It has not yet been discussed by the parish council, but the public meeting will give residents the chance to air their views.

Other topics up for discussion will include the possibility of getting a gas main through the village; the inadequacy of broadband; roads and road conditions, including parking and pavements; litter and dog poo; crime; and any other issues of concern to residents.

○ The parish council has agreed to gift £400 towards a project to install an honesty box in Boulmer car park.

It has been suggested that the money collected from the box should go towards the car park and toilet maintenance.

The most favoured design and look is a stone-built cairn with the honesty box built in.

Earlier this year, volunteers, including from RAF Boulmer, helped resurface and extend the car park.

KWP Quarry, in Longhoughton, supplied equipment, materials and staff and has since said that it will not charge for this as a gesture of goodwill.

○ Longhoughton county councillor Wendy Pattison doesn’t have an exact timescale of when the 20mph limit will be introduced in the centre of the village, but said she would like to see it up and running by September, in time for the children going back to school.

○ Residents are to be asked for their views about proposals to improve the football field in Longhoughton. A suggestion is to move the goal posts closer together and provide enhanced grass-cutting for the pitch, while leaving the surrounding grass to grow.

○ Concerns have been raised about the entrance to a construction site for new homes at Station Road in Longhoughton, which is ‘awfully close’ to a sycamore tree protected by a tree preservation order. Coun Eleanor Phillips said she would look into the matter.

○ Coun Eleanor Phillips has asked the Post Office to consider relocating the mobile van which comes to Longhoughton on Fridays, due to the low number of users. She has requested for it to be moved to the lay-by close to the Co-op to ‘entice’ more users. She is waiting for a response.

○ PC Stuart Bruce said that he has spoken to a couple of boy-racers in the car park at Westfield Park. He said he would also look at reports of lorry drivers using mobile phones at the wheel while driving in the area. To contact him, email [email protected]