This Holmewood housing estate been designed '˜without pavements'- leaving concerned dad baffled

Resident Simon Twigg pictured on Rosebud Way

Simon Twigg, who lives on the Mason Hill Estate in Holmewood, has slammed planners for giving the ‘ridiculous and dangerous’ design which has seen pavements replaced by grass verges the go ahead.

Mr Twigg says some residents ‘seem to believe’ they own the grass verges and shout at anyone who walks on them, including dog walkers his two children walking to and from school.

Mr Twigg said: “Effectively, my kids have been thrown off the pavements and into the road. It’s so dangerous.

“The design has to be seen to be believed. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been trying to voice my concerns since the early stages of the planning process but planners have washed their hands of it now.

I”t’s only a matter of time before someone gets hit by a car. Not everyone drives slowly. I thought pavements were a basic safety neccessity.”

A spokesman for Gleeson, who are in the last phases of developing the three year project, said the design was intentional and that the grass verges are ‘not for pedestrians’.

Some of the very minor culs de sac are known as shared surfaces,” they said.

“These are areas which are designated by the Highways Authority for both cars and pedestrians to share.

“These tarmac areas do not have separate footpaths and the grass verges exist so that water, gas and electricity mains can go to the houses on the cul de sac. When the culs de sac go into roads serving more properties they have proper footpaths in the normal manner.

“The reason why shared surfaces exist is because they have a more attractive appearance with less tarmac with its attendant drainage issues and poor CO2 generation.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “All developments have to be designed by following our design criteria. This does give developers the option of putting in grass verges, although we would usually prefer to see pavements. The decision to put in grass verges on part of the estate was one taken by the developer.”