I went along to the public exhibition for the proposed development behind The Greystoke pub.

I’m not opposed to development, and I’m not trying to scare anyone. I’m simply trying to understand how everyday, peak-time realities are expected to work if this scheme goes ahead.

One practical issue that came up repeatedly — both at the exhibition and in conversations locally — is school pickup time.

Anyone who lives nearby knows that late afternoon is already tight:

Pavements are narrow, cars pause or crawl, parents and children are crossing between vehicles, and visibility isn’t great.

At the exhibition, the developer confirmed:

There will be no on-site parking
Around 190 flats are proposed
Likely 400+ new residents
Impacts on schools, transport and healthcare would be addressed via future contributions to the council

That leads to a reasonable, non-emotive question:

What evidence exists that school pickup times, pedestrian safety and access around The Greystoke site can absorb this level of additional demand without problems?

If there are transport, access and school-impact assessments that answer this clearly, that’s reassuring — residents simply want to see them.

If those assessments haven’t been done yet, asking for them before a planning application is decided feels sensible.

This isn’t about opposing anything.

It’s about understanding how day-to-day life works in practice.

Thanks to everyone engaging thoughtfully and constructively.

— Jason