Plans for a shop near a congested Ilkeston roundabout face opposition due to traffic and safety concerns raised at a meeting.
A local council member spoke at the meeting. He is unhappy the county didn’t object, as they didn’t see highway problems. He thinks the roundabout is already too busy, and traffic often gets backed up into Ilkeston. He believes safety is a big issue there.
Large vans cannot exit safely facing forward. Big trucks would need to reverse onto the roundabout. He feels pedestrians and a nearby school are at risk, as trucks often hit the curb now.
A resident thinks the store will attract crime, and spoke about shoplifting problems. The resident also said the store will likely close soon, becoming another empty shop. He agreed the roundabout is very busy and added the new homes will make traffic worse.
Four thousand jobs are coming to the area. The Bulls Head pub was there for over 200 years. He believes the plan hurts the town’s history. Another person said this plan lacks common sense.
He thinks a shop will draw more traffic than the pub did. The applicant should prove big trucks can exit safely before approval, he stated. A man who lived nearby for 70 years also spoke.
He remembers heavy traffic from a factory, and someone used to direct traffic then, he said. He feels the plan for a store is ridiculous today, pointing out that shops closed there before. The planning head said the site had trouble before.
They rejected a similar plan in 2022, however, a government person later approved it. He mentioned this limits what the council can do now. Another council member is sad about losing the pub. He called the store an “inconvenience store” and believes it will fail.
The roundabout was busy when it was a pub, and people drove drunk, he said. One councillor mentioned people walked to the pub often. The new store will not change traffic that much and improving safety is always good, she said.
She suggested adding a walkway. Traffic will only become heavier, she noted. Another council member supports new businesses. He said a similar store does well nearby. The councillors will postpone their decision.
They want the applicant to prove truck safety. The county will review the plan.