Grantham neighbour applies to have bollard installed to stop vehicles driving up to St Wulfram's Church - as highways head invites both parties to 'sit down'

A councillor in charge of highways has suggested that neighbours in a quarrel over vehicles using a 'path' to access a Grantham church sit down together for an "open conversation".

There has been much debate this week over a decision by Peter Escreet to park his Land Rover in front of his property in Swinegate, thereby blocking access to St Wulfram's Church.

It comes as the church hosts its fifth annual Christmas tree festival.

Vehicles regularly use the route to approach the church, but Mr Escreet claims this is illegal. He also says vehicles have damaged his property on multiple occasions.

The row between Mr Escreet and church officials has led to the neighbour being branded "selfish" and "not very public spirited", while he says church officials have been "unhelpful and unremorseful in their actions".

He claims that after his home was struck last week, he has now applied to have a bollard installed to stop vehicles in their tracks.

He said: “Last week we decided to apply for a bollard and in the meantime block vehicle access as the house had been hit by another vehicle and we had had enough.

“In the last couple of years the house has been hit by vehicles four times, the lamp post twice, the front door step once, the wall outside the house three times and the front door canopy once.

“All this damage has been done by vehicles driving illegally up to the church, putting this Grade II-listed house at risk and threatening our own safety, along with the children who use this footpath each morning for the local school.

“We are having to have work carried out on the basement foundations now due to the damage cause by heavy vehicles using this footpath.”

However, Melanie Brown, operations and development manager for St Wulfram’s Church, said: "We’ve been on this site for 1,000 years and always had access to it.

“[The tree festival] is supposed to be a community event and it’s making it very difficult just through somebody else’s selfishness.”

Mr Escreet said he has purchased a wheelchair for the church to loan out to those who need it and has offered to buy a mobility scooter.

In a bid to resolve the matter, Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said he hopes to find a solution.

He told the Journal: "I have spoken with Father Stuart [Cradduck, church rector] and I have sent Mr Escreet an email. I have explained that I am very happy to sit down with both parties for an open conversation where we can hopefully find a solution.

"I hope that we will be able to do this soon and resolve the matter in a way that everyone can live with."

The Journal has asked Lincolnshire County Council’s highways department whether vehicles are allowed to use the route to approach the church but has not yet received an answer.