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Crisis talks over plans for Orwell Crossing Lorry Park
Page 14
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Talks are being arranged to discuss the Orwell Crossing Lorry Park's business plans. Chris Tindall reports.
CONCERN AMONG Suffolk councillors that the Highways Agency is unnecessarily obstructing the Orwell Crossing Lorry Park's business plans has led to crisis talks being arranged with the government agency.
As CM went to press a date had not been agreed, but lorry park boss Karl Rout was hoping it would be scheduled some time this week.
The need for all parties involved in the site's planning proposals to thrash out a solution came as the government agency objected to plans to put a portable building on the truck park's land.
Rout says the building would be used as an office for licensed hauliers wanting to use the park as an operating centre.
The move comes just weeks after he successfully appealed against the Highways Agency's decision not to let the popular site on the Al4 serve food to the public as well as LGV drivers (CM 2 August).
Rout says: "We want to get together, sit around a table and tell them what we are doing, the impact, and show them there's plenty of space on the land for LG Vs."
Suffolk County Council is expected to host the meeting. The council was unavailable for comment as CM went to press, as was the Highways Agency. However, Andy Smith, deputy leader of Suffolk Coastal District Coun cil, says: "I am very strongly of the view that the Highways Agency's stance about the Orwell Crossing is not wholly appropriate. It certainly could, and should, be modified.
"Orwell Crossing is absolutely superbly run," he adds. "The way you wish all lorry parks would be run. We are, at member level, very supportive of the Orwell Crossing, but in a narrow planning sense we have to take direction from the Highways Agency."