Lesmahagow

LESMAHAGOW RESIDENTS OBJECTIVE

To rectify the wrong planning decision which has dangerously and disruptively routed traffic through the villages of Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill for the past 30 years? This is a unique opportunity as Paterson's are applying for a change of use, this may not happen again! 

NOVEMBER 2010

Whether the action group who appear to control the thoughts of the residents of Blackwood & Kirkmuirhill, have their heads buried in the sand, or are just mischieviously misleading them, is for you to decide?

They are not very original in their ideas either, having copied the Lesmahagow slogan "Enough is Enough say "NO" to Dunduff.

Their latest campaign is to get the residents to send a letter of support to planning, for the expansion of the Quarry, and to allow a change of use and the addition of  production of Concrete blocks.

What they will find will be similar to the Lesmahagow group, who found out that their alternative routes could not be submitted so are NOT VALID, similarly neither are letters of support to an application. This means that the BKVCG are really getting all the villagers to support the application, WHICH MEANS that they are not objecting to the new concrete block making facility which will cause much more noise, and dust pollution to Boghead as well as approx 80 longer articulated lorries along the route, which, as there will only be valid objections to the Lesmahagow route resulting in, leaving the traffic on the existing route.

As can be seen from the supporting documentation to the planning application, there are many references to an inaccurate Traffic Analysis, also many representations to the fact that the road cannot be made wide enough to comply with the 6.75 metres width or splay visibilty required, objections from National Heritage, Forestry Commision etc.

The Lesmahagow group had seen this particular Planning Application as a UNIQUE opportunity to force Patersons to use one of the two alternative routes which they have "verbal" approval that they were feasible from both SLC ROADS and Transport Scotland, however they cannot be introduced other than by Paterson's. Had all the communities brought pressure upon their Councillors and MSPs to get Patersons to support both or even just one of these alternative routes, it is likely that they would have been passed as well as being unopposed by any of the public.

Click Here to see the BKVCG banner         

Click Here: To see BKVCG brochure Nov 2010

Click Here: to read latest BKVCG letter

Click Here: to view the letter of Support.

PLEASE! PLEASE! COMMENT ON THIS SITUATION ON THE (Click Here:) FORUM

Should the current re-routing proposal through Lesmahagow be passed it would be a corrupt decision, and as such the Lesmahagow group are ceasing their objection action, and now preparing their legal team to focus on the preparation of the appeal process.

 JULY 2010

BLACKWOOD & KIRKMUIRHILL RESIDENTS ACTIONS

The residents of Lesmahagow have invested heavily in a factually based program, employing a legal team to advise and possibly represent and have architectural plans and drawing re-routing the traffic away from ALL properties and communities. The biggest beneficiary of these plans are Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood.

Our consultants have re-scheduled the delivery of information for maximum effect to successfully objecting to the planning in progress.

We had asked Aileen Campbell MSP, to letter the people of Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill to advise them that, as we had a strong case to object to the routing proposal and to see if they wished to join our campaign, for a route to avoid ALL communities, and get the councilors and MSP's behind a united plan.

Aileen has now lettered them; however, a group within the community has counter leafleted the area, misleading the villagers.

Letter from; Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Villages Co-ordination Group: CLICK HERE TO READ:

Please print out this circular, then read the following analysis cross referencing to letter, then comment on FORUM

(Aileens Campbell MSP's Letter/Survey now uploaded, see bottom of this page)

ANALYSIS OF LETTER

Paragraph 1:

Great opening statement, apart from last phrase “you will agree....... In the planning process affected members of the public get an opportunity to Object, not agree. If their suffering has been so bad, would they wish that on another community? Do they believe two wrongs make a right?

Paragraph 2:

The campaign in Lesmahagow is not to stop Paterson's planning proposal to extend the quarry, but rather to object to re-routing the traffic down another route which has greater impact than the existing route. The fact regarding the number of houses directly affected is the only correct statement. "Not to mention the three schools which stand on the current route" is a misnomer.

Will there be 3 schools in the area in the coming months? SCHOOLS REVIEW: CLICK HERE:

Bent school: Is not accessed by any pedestrian pupils. Paterson’s supplied an accepted off road car park, bus stance and play area behind the school for the children. (...91, No. of pupils)

PRESS RELEASE:  BENT PRIMARY  Click Here:

Blackwood Primary is NOT ON THE ROUTE!

St John’s RC primary school unfortunately is on the route. So, ONE school is affected on the route.

Paterson’s have offered mitigation. The route can be slightly altered to take the traffic, instead of turning into Vere Road and the houses it affects) traffic should continue down Thornton Road and turn right (away from schools and directly to the motorway at junction 10. This road was originally the main route south (A74) so suitable for this traffic, unlike the unclassified rural road between Boghead and Lesmahagow.

Paterson's could stop traffic operations from 8.30am-9.00am, and 3.00 - 3.30 through this area to remove safety concerns over school kids).

Paragraph 3;

The Lesmahagow campaigners claim that they want the lorries to bypass ALL residential areas (including Lesmahagow)"

Does the writer not realise that the statement in brackets should have read (including Boghead, Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill).

They claim this simply isn't going to happen. Well it certainly won't with their attitude and misleading information. The last part of their statement is perfectly true and all the residents of these poor communities should thank the writer for the result... “We would be condemned to suffer these massive lorries for MANY MORE YEARS."

At the Lesmahagow.com campaign, we believe in dealing in facts so I should correct this last remark. It should read,..condemned to suffer a greatly increased quantity of these massive lorries for at least another 30 years and possibly 60 or 70 years. We are unsure of the traffic movements of the introduction of the cement block making plant, but should also include this too!

Paragraph 4:

All correct except last comment in brackets should read (please note this includes Boghead, Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill).

Paragraph 5:

The writer lives in a fantasy world. "All residential areas" means any route with houses on it. Aileen Campbell is an educated lady who completely understands the words she is committing to paper. The writer from BKVCG's distortion of the truth is the immature idea of objecting which originally lead to the traffic being routed where it currently is. 

All the councilors and MSP's will only support large groups of constituents and a united Kirkmuirhill, Blackwood and Lesmahagow would have got their attention. Divided they will not want to favour either of a squabbling community. This then favours Paterson to sail their planning application through without genuine objection. This leads us to think that this letter is circulated by Paterson’s themselves!! There are no contact details. NONE!

Paragraph 8:

The writer claims that Aileen’s statement that other potential routes have not been properly considered, this is not the case, "they claim!"  I would like to see any proof that they have that all the proposed routes which Lesmahagow have spent hundreds of pounds having professionally drawn to route the traffic away from Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill. If they can supply this proof, then we will agree to have the traffic through Lesmahagow. HOWEVER, IF THERE IS JUST ONE ROUTE THAT PATERSONS HAVE NOT EXPLORED, then the Lesmahagow objections is valid, and, guess what..... and whoever is the writer, spokesperson or secretary who produced and circulated this distortion of the truth IS TO BLAME! Why would the writer think that this situation will not change? The reason for the application is that there is change, and the people of Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill had an opportunity to do something about it, but were hoodwinked yet again.

Paragraph10:

The writer quite clearly supports Paterson’s application which is to extend and expand the quarry and keep these lorries running for the next 30 years past people’s homes.

Details of TESCO objection to traffic to Lesmahagow route are not available.

Aileen Campbell's Survey which; Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Villages Co-ordination Group, think is misleading, decide for yourself: CLICK HERE TO READ:

Teiglum Road and the roundabout at Wellburn exchange has already a significant increase in traffic in the past 9 months, via recent approved planning decisions, there is a new TESCO store, a major housing and workplace development at Wellburn Heights, several new tenants and property changes in Milton Industrial Estate and of course we already have APPROVED our own INCINERATOR on Carlisle road, along with the Strathclyde Nutrients traffic and other industrial units at the other new industrial estate on the old A74. All this traffic will lead to major conjestion at the ONLY access to both the villages of Lesmahagow and Coalburn particularly at peak commuter times leading to a vulnerable and dangerous junction 10 on the M74. This is likely to having an effect on attracting businesses to the area or people wanting to relocate here and unltimately property prices!

PLEASE NOTE: An objection letter template has now been uploaded to the "Dovesdale Incinerator" page.