Dear Sir

Planning Application Ref. Env/C/2001/5005 By Longwater Gravel At Grange Farm, Horstead

I am writing to object to the above planning application for our village.

What really concerns me is the increased traffic levels and pollution that we will have to suffer if this gravel extraction goes ahead. This village and the next one, Coltishall, already have large amounts of traffic thundering over its roads, which includes extremely large lorries. There are no pelican crossings or even zebra crossings; I have to risk life and limb every time I attempt to cross the road. It wouldn't be quite so bad perhaps if the cars, lorries, etc. actually stuck to the speed limit, but many do not. It is an absolute nightmare taking my daughter to school, we have to cross the road several times and each time it is more and more dangerous as the traffic levels build.

How can you even contemplate allowing even more huge lorries access through our village without planning for road improvements or pedestrian safety measures? If the company really has no other option but to extract gravel from this site, why can't you install a proper infrastructure first?

I suffer from asthma, thankfully it isn't too bad, and I have been much better since moving here. However, if the traffic is going to increase even more, then my health will no doubt suffer even more. I am not the only person with this complaint, there are many asthma sufferers and many of them are children. There is a primary school in the next village and a lot of children walk from Horstead to Coltishall, so does this mean that we will have to prepare for an outbreak of childhood asthma caused by pollution. Parents will stop walking their children to school to avoid the pollution and go in the car, therefore, increasing the traffic and subsequently the pollution. It is a vicious circle that can be avoided if firms like Longwater Gravel found sites away from villages and didn't cause so much disruption to the environment, instead of taking the easy option which obviously will cause so much distress to the inhabitants of this lovely area.

I do hope you will reconsider your position and if planning permission does go ahead then please make sure there are plenty of traffic calming methods and enough pedestrian crossings to ensure the safety of our children.

However, I hope that you will realise the detrimental effect this will have on our village and the surrounding area.

Yours faithfully

Jayne M Downing

Cc Longwater Gravel.
Editor of The Marlpit