Northumbrian Water is planning to install 300 metres of additional sewer pipe laid in East Tynedale, with two of the affected areas being Castle Road and Maple Grove in Prudhoe. Northumbrian Water said consultation had been carried out with the residents, but no statutory notices were placed in the local paper covering Prudhoe – the Hexham Courant. Instead, the council placed two notices in last week’s Northumberland Gazette , which covers the area around Alnwick.
A stretch of Castle Road, heading south-west from its junction with Rowan Grove for 50 metres is to be closed.
And with no alternative route provided for traffic, residents at the dead end of Castle Road, and nearby Sycamore Grove will be cut off.
A second notice stated that 65 metres of the cul-de-sac, Maple Grove would be closed.
The notices stated that both road closures would be effective from April 26 to September 29 this year. However, Northumbrian Water updated the closure date this week to a much shorter period – between May 2 and May 25.
Rowan Grove resident, Derek Gillespie said he had read about the works via notices on lamp posts.
He said: “If nobody knows about it and finds they’re blocked off from their street, it’s an issue. At the minute there seems to be a bit of a lack of communication.”
Prudhoe town councillor for the Castle and Eltringham ward, Coun. George McCreedy said he was concerned that notices informing residents of the closures were not available in the Courant .
He said: “It’s the lack of knowledge for the residents that concerns me.
“Not everybody is able to access this information online, but people do regularly buy the Hexham Courant. ”
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