Residents fuming as lorries keep hitting walls

Residents in a Devon village are at their wit’s end over repeated damage to garden walls being caused by lorries.

People living on Hawkerland Road, in East Devon’s Newton Poppleford, have complained of a seemingly never-ending issue with large lorries constantly damaging walls that belong to two residents.
The problem is compounded by the fact the junction of Hawkerland Road meets the main route into the village – the B3178 – and that previous repairs soon get undone by another smash.
One resident has even caught footage of an articulated lorry attempting to turn left out of the road, leading to the right rear side of its trailer crunching into a resident’s wall.
The lorries are delivering goods to and from Old Saw Mills industrial estate, which is home to a number of businesses – some of which are served by the largest vehicles.
The landowner is Clinton Devon Estates with other firms operating from the industrial estate. It said it was aware that “on occasion, HGVs delivering to businesses at the site have accidentally caused damage to garden walls”, adding “steps have been taken by the estate to reduce the risk of incidents”.
Hawkerland Road is a pavement-less residential street, which narrows after the houses end as it proceeds further west towards the community of Kingston.
But mid-way along, the Old Saw Mills industrial estate is based, as well as Pophams Farm House, whose sign also referenced Clinton Devon Estates.
A spokesperson from Colaton Raleigh Parish Council described the issue as a “never-ending problem”.
“We fully appreciate that businesses on the industrial estate are reliant on these deliveries, but if they are dependent on massive articulated 40-tonne lorries, then those businesses should not be situated here.
“We have nothing against successful businesses, but with them being served by these massive lorries is totally unsuitable.
“The largest vehicles should be offloading somewhere else and allowing smaller lorries or vans to make the deliveries to The Old Sawmills.”
The spokesperson added that the parish council believed when the industrial estate was granted permission that a contingency for a separate access road via a different route was included, but that cost has been cited as the issue discouraging landowner Clinton Devon Estates from acting on this.
“Back in early-80s, a planning application was made to develop what is now The Old Sawmills into a light haulage centre,” the spokesperson added.
“At that time, common sense prevailed and the application was turned down as the road, junction and infrastructure was deemed not fit for purpose, yet here we are some 40 years later with a massive problem being caused by these vehicles.
“Residents here are extremely concerned and disappointed. There are a lot of elderly people in the village who regularly walk the road, which does not have footpaths, and means without any action being taken, we’re tempting fate before a serious incident happens involving pedestrians and these vehicles.”
Councillor Jess Bailey (Independent, Otter Valley), who sits on Devon County Council, which oversees highways, and also has a seat on East Devon District Council, which oversees planning, said “poor planning decisions in the past had resulted in large and unsuitable vehicles” using the road.
“I’ve attended meetings with all relevant parties and tried to look at ways that could lead to modifications to the road and lead to an improvement in the situation but it is extremely challenging,” she said.
“The businesses are established there and there is no ability for the highways department to restrict what comes in and out of the road, so it is a very difficult situation for residents.”
Fellow district council member, Councillor Melanie Martin (Independent, Budleigh & Raleigh), acknowledged the parish was “downcast”.
“I understand the disappointment they are all feeling as there have been huge efforts to get all involved parties together to try and form a resolution,” she said.
A spokesperson for Clinton Devon Estates said the site hosted 11 local businesses supportIng around 70 jobs,  and that the road serving it was an adopted highway.
“The Estate is aware that, on occasion, HGVs delivering to businesses at the site have accidently caused damage to garden walls at the Hawkerland Road junction,” the spokesperson said.
“Steps have been taken by the Estate to reduce the risk of incidents. New signage has been erected to ensure drivers turn left when leaving the site, and there has been engagement to discourage illegal parking on the road which can make the junction more difficult for lorry drivers to navigate.
“The Estate has also been working with the parish council, Devon and Cornwall Police, Devon Highways, and a representative of the local MP to explore further possible solutions.”
It added the Old Sawmills had been an employment site since the 19th Century and that as a responsible landlord, it “remains committed to ensuring these sites are well run and able to operate effectively, while being respectful to neighbours”.
The parish council spokesperson added that lorry drivers had told residents they did not enjoy navigating the turning, but ultimately have to make their deliveries.
The parish council said it felt the companies on the estate, which rely on the largest vehicles for deliveries, should be based at alternative sites that are far better suited.