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Parish Council says wall is dangerous

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Can you see me: A car enters South Road from St Michaels Road in Paget. Residents are complaining that the wall obstructs the view of South Road making it a dangerous intersection. (Photo by Mark Tatem)

Paget Parish Council is calling for a wall along South Road to be changed or removed, describing it as a safety hazard.Council chairwoman Shirley White said the orange and while wall, located at 90 South Road, drastically limits the view of the road for drivers exiting St Michael’s Road.“When you are coming out, you cannot see anything,” Mrs White said. “One day I came out right against a woman with a stroller. I couldn’t see her and she couldn’t see me.”She claimed the wall breaches planning requirements outlined in the Bermuda Plan 2008, which state that any walls built abutting a road must allow the road to be visible for 90ft in either direction by a car parked six feet from the edge of the road.The requirements also state that a bell-mouth of no less than 12ft is required.In both cases, Mrs White said the wall fails the test, forcing drivers to pull into South Road to get a proper view to the west from St Michaels Road.This has led to complaints from members of the public, including shoppers at the nearby Modern Mart and parents of students at the Gilbert Institute.“The whole thing is dangerous and no one seems to be doing anything about it. In the meanwhile, it remains a health hazard,” Mrs White said. “We’ve been complaining about this for two years now.“We have approached the owner, but he said he had planning permission. We contacted the Department of Planning and they have said they are investigating, but nothing has happened.”But while Mrs White said a Building Control Officer at the Department had agreed with the council’s assessment, a spokeswoman for the Department said that it has not agreed that the wall was built contrary to planning approval.The spokeswoman said the issue of visibility was broached during the planning process and assessed, but planning permission was granted after consultation with the Ministry of Public Works.“In granting planning permission, the Development Applications Board was satisfied that the development conformed to the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008,” the spokeswoman said.“That Plan was subsequently adopted formally. The policy regarding sight lines and visibility did not change when the Bermuda Plan 2008 was adopted.”The owner of the property, coc Reef owner John Jefferis, hsd not repsonded to requests for comment as of press time last night.

Can you see me: A car enters South Road from St Michaels Road in Paget. Residents are complaining that the wall obstructs the view of South Road making it a dangerous intersection.