Monday October 9th 2023
Labour councillors are calling for a temporary road closure to be overturned four weeks in amid claims it is creating major disruption to local residents.
Midlothian councillor Stephen Currie is leading a motion which will go before a council meeting this week calling on officers to refuse permission for the closure of Old Craighall Road, even though it has already been shut.
The road is shut for 12 weeks as Cala carry out construction work on a new 620-home housing development at nearby Newton and Wellington farms. Midlothian Council said the closure would allow upgrading work which is being planned for the road including creating a bus park and ride and new spine road.
However it sparked anger from some users on social media with one describing new housing developments in the area as a ‘legoland’.
Councillor Curran tried to bring an urgent motion to stop the closure to a council meeting days before it began. However a request for his motion to be included on the agenda was refused by Provost Debbi McCall who has the authority to decide the urgency of a motion if it is presented less than three days before a meeting.
Following the meeting Councillor Curran criticised the decision saying his motion had called for the road closure to be refused and Cala Homes to be ordered to find an alternative solution. He urged officers to suspend any closure until the motion could be heard at the next meeting saying: “I hope council officers respect the democratic process and pause any closure pending the outcome of the meeting.”
The closure, however, went ahead and Labour councillors are now asking officers and Cala to review the decision. Their motion, which will go before members tomorrow says: “Given the serious disruption the closure of this road will cause, council agrees to refuse this request for a closure, and encourages Cala Homes to find an alternative
solution.”
