Oakham residents ‘up in arms’ about three-month Brooke Road closure and felling of trees

A three-month road closure and the felling of trees has left residents ‘up in arms’.

A section of Brooke Road in Oakham is closed until October 11 while work takes place on the allotments housing development and to widen the highway. Trees are also being removed as part of the development.

It has been shut to both pedestrians and vehicles, and residents with on-street parking bays must now use the council’s pay-and-display car parks, which they have to apply for a free permit for.

Despite this having a big effect on nearby residents, many living nearby say they were unaware of the work and closure.

According to Brooke Road resident David Richardson this has left people ‘up in arms’.

The 71-year-old said: “Most people here didn’t have a clue this was going on.”

He added that he feels frustrated as “all of this could have been avoided” and claims more could have been done to consult with residents.

The former Rutland County Councillor questioned whether the correct process was followed when advertising the closure and has asked ward councillors, the leader and officers if everything was “above board”. They have not responded to David.

“I can’t get anything out of them,” he said.

“As far as I am concerned they are being obstructive.

“Show us all the documentation so we can be assured all the necessary steps have been done.”

Andrew Boyce, who lives in Cricket Lawns off Brooke Road, also expressed his frustrations as he says 7.5 tonne lorries are diverting through the residential area due to the closure.

After making a complaint to the site manager at the development, he was told the council had told them to use Cricket Lawns.

Like David, Andrew has tried to find answers but claims there is a ‘huge lack of transparency’.

The 72-year-old says he’s accepted the 40-home development will be going ahead and claims he is not a ‘nimby’.

A petition to save the trees on Brooke Road, Oakham has gained more than 700 signatures.

The removal of these trees was approved by the council’s planning committee in August 2020, followed by a reserved matters approval to remove additional trees near the entrance of the development in August 2022.

But, according to another resident Hanri van Wyk, chopping down trees on the road as part of widening the highway was never put to the public.

“The frustration is it feels like it’s been done very underhand,” she said.

“The approval to fell the trees was never consulted on.”

Most of the trees, some of which are believed to be more than 100 years old, have been chopped down.

MP for Rutland and Stamford (Con) Alicia Kearns has written to Rutland County Council and the developer, Burmor Construction, to ask for assurances that the correct process is being followed after receiving letters from concerned residents.

The developer told her it was the council’s responsibility to communicate their proposed traffic management plans.

“I am still awaiting the council’s response,” said Mrs Kearns.

Rutland County Council refutes the allegations that legal processes weren’t followed.

Coun Christine Wise (Lib Dem), cabinet member for transport, environment and communities, said: “We strongly reject any suggestion that the council has not followed the proper process when considering and approving this road closure.

“The council has met all its obligations under road traffic procedure regulations, which saw a public notice issued a full month before the closure was due to begin.

“Councillors and officers have received enquiries from residents asking questions about the road closure and are working to respond to these as quickly as possible.”

A public notice was published in one of the newspapers which powers LincsOnline on June 20 and July 11 alerting people of the closure.

A press release was also released on the Rutland County Council website and published by this newspaper on July 15.

An email alerting a number of stakeholders was also sent on June 19, according to the council.

Burmor Construction has also rejected claims that it has done anything wrong.

Luke​​​​ Boekestyn, director of Burmor Construction, said: “While we appreciate and acknowledge the disruption to the area, we are acting and operating in accordance with all relevant permissions and licences.

“This has been investigated and we have been visited by various statutory authorities and they concur.

“Our commitment as a business is to provide affordable housing to areas that require it, of which Oakham was identified as a place of need at the time of planning.

“The works we are carrying out, while disruptive, are of improvement nature and therefore once complete Oakham will benefit from an enhanced infrastructure scheme around this development.”

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