The owner of Holt Manor has told Wiltshire Council that he would like to remove so-called  ‘extraneous’ traffic from the former Manor driveway and to direct traffic up Leigh Road and then turning right along Chalfield Lane.  The owner has implied that he would be prepared to fund any upgrades needed to the highway due to the increased use of Chalfield Lane.

In advance of the lengthy legal procedures required to do this signs have been put up ‘discouraging’ drivers from going that way.

Signs have been erected at the junction with Leigh Road of the road leading to Holt Manor and beyond.  According to Holt Parish Council one in particular contravenes two separate regulatory matters:

• It is misleading to traffic, directing them in the wrong direction to Great Chalfield, making the clear statement that the road is to Holt Manor and its Dower House only, and that the road is “single track” which it is not (other than by means of the bollards which have illegally been installed on the verge).
• The gateposts on which it is mounted are listed, and no permission has been granted for the notice to be attached.

Wiltshire Council has been asked to use its powers to  get the signs removed.

Holt PC has also raised the matter of the sign to Great Chalfield Manor which has been placed at the roadside, thus further confusing motorists with two signs to the same destination but pointing in opposite directions. Again, this is misleading, and hesitation at this junction cannot be a good thing in road safety terms.

The parish council is concerned that if these apparently illegal activities are not nipped in the bud, the owner of Holt Manor will feel encouraged to take more and more steps in a direction which incenses the community and Parish Council.  The proposals are due to be considered at an Area Board meeting.

See also  http://trevorcarbin.mycouncillor.org.uk/2012/03/27/changes-proposed-to-holt-footpath-network/#more-870

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Your say:  “Last night I was driving home from Corsham and I happened to drive along the road that passes Holt Manor and, pulling over to let a car come the other way, I nearly had an accident.  The reason?  A number of substantial wooden staves driven into the carriageway verge.  I have a number of questions about these. 1)  Why are they there in the first place?  2) Why are there no reflectors on them?  3) In Hilperton, all these type of ‘bollards’ are plastic and so ‘fall over’ if hit by a vehicle – why are these different? If I had been on my bicycle and hit one of these ‘obstructions’ I dread to think what would have happened to me or my cycle.” – EC, Hilperton.

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“I was very surprised to see a sign attached to the gatepost on the road leading to Holt Manor which says ” Entrance to Holt Manor and Dower House only.  Single track road.”  There is a signpost at this junction which says “Chalfield” and there is also a signpost at the other end which says “Holt” which would indicate that this is an ordinary public road, and I believe that it has been so since 1928.  Also, it has never been signed as a single track road, and regarding the posts which have been placed on the grass verge, I have a letter from Mr Cadwallader saying the Council is “seeking their removal” but I see that they are still there. This is a well used road by the people of Holt who wish to visit Chalfield either by car or by foot, and the above mentioned sign should be removed.  Concerning the recently enclosed footpaths with a barbed wire top to the fence, I would have considered these quite dangerous. Some of these footpaths are quite uneven, and if someone were to stumble and stretch out their hand for support they could receive very nasty injured hands.” – Holt Resident.

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“As a resident of Holt who enjoys using the roads and public footpaths around the village I write to express my concerns over the apparently unauthorised sign erected, presumably by the occupiers of Holt Manor, on the road leading to Great Chalfield. This sign appears to have been erected arbitarily and without justification. As far as I am aware this road has always been a two way carriageway and in the past I have used it driving in both directions – there has never been a problem with passing as there was always room to pull on to the verge.
I suspect what make this more impracticable currently and leads one to believe it is a single track road is that someone, and again I believe the culprits to be the owners of Holt Manor have installed timber posts along the verge on what I understand is public land thus making it impossible to pass. This leads me to suspect that the owners of Holt Manor have actually created the problem by installing timber bollards on public land. There does seem to be a trend by the owners of Holt Manor to discourage the public from going past their property – in the not too distant past I came across a sign saying the road was closed because of a wedding. As further evidence of this there is the matter of them trying to relocate and fence in public footpaths, in some cases I believe to the detriment of the public and to a more hazardous location/arrangement (slipping etc.)
 What surprises me is why these actions are being taken as all these paths and roads existed and were in use when they purchased the property so they knew the position.
 I would appreciate it if you could take whatever appropriate action is necessary to have the misleading sign and the timber bollards removed.”  Holt resident
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I have felt irritated enough to e.mail you in respect of the notice erected just off Leigh Road in Holt on the road leading to Chalfield Manor, which advises that the road leads to Holt Manor & Dower House only and that it is a single track road. This is at best misleading, and at worse it looks as if we are to lose a public highway. A number of friends who have visited us recently have complained about the notice after visiting Chalfield Manor and realising they could have driven/& or walked along this road to Chalfield Manor rather than continue along the main road. I request that all parties insist the new owners remove the notice immediately.
 
The matter of the posts erected on the grass verge on the approach to Holt Manor gates are also an issue. They are unnecessary in the country and make it more dangerous and difficult for walkers and drivers alike as walkers aften walk onto the road to avoid falling over the posts. As we are given to understand this is in fact land owned by Wiltshire Council the posts should be removed and a passing area might assist larger vehicles to pass more easily along this road.
 
In addition I would like to raise the issue of fencing in the public footpath across Holt Manor land and requesting the other public footpath be closed. I recently walked the public footpath fenced on both sides and found it to be in a dangerous condition – slippery & worn and as a result slipped over and wrenched my thumb. This is the countryside not a town and I believe the new owners of Holt Manor bought the property and land with all the public rights of way in place already and this is how they should remain.
 
I appreciate Community Area Boards have been established so local people in Wiltshire are able to feed in to policy & planning and we have an arena for our views to be taken into account. I have taken the time to contact you with the hope and expectation that this is the case and will be following progress with interest. – Holt Resident

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