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Land fury - Resident feels imprisoned
THE multi-million pound Ilkeston-Awsworth bypass has sparked problems between neighbouring residents and businesses.
Tension flared last week when Rayden Engineering Ltd, of Wentworth Street, Ilkeston, put up an 8ft steel palisade fencing around a piece of unregistered land they plan to use for storage.
But residents whose homes back onto the triangular-shaped plot, say it has left them feeling claustrophobic - and angry after they spent the weekend marking the boundaries of the unregistered land they wanted to claim.
Diane Charlton, of Wentworth Street, said: "I actually feel like I'm in prison, we're absolutely closed in."
While Ilkeston Central councillor, Frank Phillips added: "It makes the place look like Alcatraz."
The land is set between the rear of the houses on Wentworth Street and Rayden Engineering, the welding specialists and mechanical and civil engineers.
Residents overlooking it spent the weekend recreating the borders of their own properties and putting up bunting until a small fence could be erected.
They claim they had plans to create a pathway and plant trees - but contractors soon moved in to put up security fencing.
Rayden managing director Richard Hayden said that, when they bought their 4 acre site from Wood Brothers nine years-ago, they were told that they could have the use of the land in question.
But they refused it until late last year when the A6096 Ilkeston-Awsworth bypass proposal was nearing completion.
According to plans, the new 12.4 million road will run alongside Rayden and cut across an acre of land they use to store equipment.
As a result, Erewash Borough Council asked them to sell that piece of the site, on the condition that a new plot would be found for their use. The agreed spot was the unregistered land.
And in December 2005, Rayden applied for permission to level the disputed land, put up fencing and provide hardstanding for their displaced equipment.
Although the application didn't state the height the fence would be, it was erected last week - and council officers have inspected the area and its boundaries.
They found the fence to be more than 8ft high and planning permission is necessary. When a separate application has been submitted, residents will have a forum to have their say.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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