A CAMELFORD resident has raised concern over the condition of College Road in the town, particularly in light of the heavy goods vehicles travelling up the road to reach the site of a new development.

Maurice Brown attended last Thursday’s town council meeting to bring the matter to the council’s attention.

In the public participation section of the meeting, Mr Brown raised his concerns about the current situation.

Mr Brown said: “My cottage is at the bottom of College Road, so-called because of the former Sir James Smith’s Grammar School, where, incidentally, I was educated in the late 40s and early 50s, the site of which is at present being developed.

“Originally College Road as it appears on early maps was nothing more than a farm track, such as it is past the school to the sewage works. In other words College Road is a farm track lightly tarmaced over.”

He added: “My cottage was built in the 1600s and as such would have had no foundations such as we know today.”

The sitting of the cottage forms a dog-leg in the track, or bend, and Mr Brown said: “That dog-leg would have been no problem for a horse and cart but the road was not built for the size of the such vehicles as are to and fro at the building site

“However it is not only the size of the vehicles that is causing concern but the weight. The road surface is being visibly compressed. Our fear is for the pipes underneath the surface; we do not know what damage may be happening. We check daily for cracks on the corner of the cottage and are not looking forward to months of anxiety since we realise the disruption will only get worse when the actual building work begins.”

Mr Brown added: “I appreciate the difficulties of the drivers. They however, seem oblivious to my concerns. I do not blame the men, they’re only doing their job.”

Mr Brown noted that on occasions, there have been three men helping to navigate a lorry past his cottage.

“Kevin, the site foreman has at all times been approachable, courteous and diplomatic, a credit to his employers.”

Mr Brown said he had a meeting last week with the site manager and his boss, at which he pointed out the damage to the road.

“I have asked who is going to be responsible for the repairs to the road. Will it be them who caused the damage or will it be the council, I don’t know.”

Last Thursday, the construction workers put up barriers to stop the lorries on the other side of the road, and Mr Brown added: “They have been extremely good, extremely helpful and I’m very grateful for that.”

Mayor, Cllr Rob Rotchell said they would keep an eye on the issue.

It was suggested that a letter be sent to Highways regarding College Road, along with a letter to South West Water.

Following the meeting, Mr Brown said the Highways road safety officer has attended the site and took photographs of the road surface.

The Post contacted the contractors, Ixer, based at St Austell, but no comment was received before the paper went to press.