LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Monstrosity over safety

Mr Ashton doesn’t even live in Hellaby and still thinks it’s wrong, so you can imagine the scorn, mistrust and anger against RMBC who gave their planning permission before announcing it to the Hellaby residents (of course it’s not a scam) — the same council who broke their own rules to laughably give planning permission for the salt barn being over height and obscured by trees.

Permission from the council to the council to build on council land! A salt barn higher than the industrial estate companies were allowed to build. Incidentally, part of the planning permission included the planting of various fauna to obscure the barn, and clearly that part has not exactly been a complete success.

An established industrial estate already exists, and it was suggested to build at the Micklebring end of the estate on unused land and build a designated HGV slip road directly on and off the estate at that end.

A slip road which could take HGV traffic from the industrial estate, but now the cut-out right turn (originally scrapped as being suicidal ten-plus years ago) will be re-instated, combined with the teeny tiny roundabout out of the industrial estate, plus some dim idea of adding a bus lane just to add to the confusion, danger, fun, queueing, pollution (delete as appropriate – or maybe not at all).

However, that Micklebring end idea was never even at discussion stage, only the monstrosity on Cumwell Lane.

The only positive that just might arise from the new factory is that the structure may lower the hum from the M18, but that will be replaced by HGV engines, forklift trucks’ reversing horns etc.

I wish all the committee councillors no malice though, just a happy, healthy and prosperous new year — and if you do have one like that, then it just proves my point, you have no conscience.

Hellaby Bob, Rotherham