Chagford Parish Council Report

Report of the meeting, held on Thursday 12th November with Western Power Distribution to discuss the detail plans for the removal of the poles and overhead wires from High Street,Chagford

Western Power Distribution was represented by Andy Cleaver, Planner and Kevin Bragg, who will be responsible for the site activities. Present at the meeting were representatives of Parish Council, Church Wardens, DCC Lighting Engineer, Business Association, Chagford Fire & Rescue service, WDBC, Forestry Commission.

The propose work comprises the removal of the overhead electricity wires shown

together with the removal of three poles shown on Figure 1. The existing pole

in the rear garden of Ceylon House will be removed and replaced with a steel pole in the road near the entrance to the Jubilee Hall. The existing four wire overhead wiring between this pole and the entrance to the car park will be replaced with an insulated single cable.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Western Power detail implementation plans and understand the issues resulting from the work.

The work will commence on Monday 11th January 2010. The work will be confined to the digging of a trench from the Lych Gate to the gate in High Street opposite to the Three Crowns/Endecott House. A new underground cable will be installed and the trench refilled and the pathway reinstated. The work will be carried out under the close supervision of the Diocesan Archeologist. During this week, one or two of the High Street car parking places will be used by WPD service lorries.

Work in the week commencing 18th January work will involve the digging of a trench the length of High Street from the churchyard gate opposite New Street to the gate opposite the Three Crowns. The trench will be in the road near to the church yard wall side of the road. This is necessary so as to not disturb the foundations of the listed churchyard wall. Three cross road trenches will also be made to supply the Three Crowns, Endecott House/Whiddons and the Globe/Susan's. During this work all High Street car parking will be closed and single file traffic in High Street will be controlled by traffic lights. Deliveries to all premises along High Street can continue; the site engineer will co-operate by making space available and trying to minimize delays to the other traffic flow. By the end of this week the properties in High Street will be connected via the new underground supply but the overhead supply will be still connected to cover the Street lights and the connection to the Jubilee Hall, Health centre and other points on the road to the top of Nattadon Hill.

The final week commencing 25th January will see the most disruption. The road between the High Street and the junction to the Great Weeke Road will be closed to enable the work of removing/replacing the pole behind Ceylon House and the undergrounding of the cable from the Churchyard gate to this pole. Traffic will still be able to flow along High Street to New Street but still controlled by traffic lights as there will be work taking place on the overhead wire along the churchyard. The parking in High Street will remain closed. At the end of the week two of the three wooden poles (nearest to Fowlers and the one opposite Endecott House will be removed and the one nearest to New Street will be cut off at ground level. A new lamppost will be inserted in the hole opposite Endecott House. The light near to the Square will be relocated onto the building occupied by Fowlers and a new lamppost will replace the existing opposite to New Street. Whilst the road closure is in place signage will be installed on the B3209 to indicate that traffic can flow through the Town but also showing the diversion route to the car park via Adley Lane.

Unless there are major problems the work will be complete by 31st January

Report compiled by

Cllr Terry Bleakman23rd November 2009