THE controversial question of access points on to the proposed new Bloor estate, to the north of Ledbury viaduct, will be addressed by an amended outline planning application.

The amendments have come about after members of the public and town councillors raised concerns over the prospect of a single access point, off the Bromyard Road.

Objectors fear that this could cause traffic problems both at a proposed new roundabout on the Bromyard Road, and at the Bromyard Road and Herefordshire Road junction, by the railway bridge, which is already a known spot for congestion, during rush hours.

But Cllr Bob Barnes, chairman of the town's finance and general purposes committee, is warning that no-one should expect the amended outline planning application to contain a second major access point under the viaduct, which some residents have called for.

He said: "I don't expect to see access under the viaduct. I do expect to see engineering works proposed for the junction at the Hereford Road and Bromyard Road. It is this junction which, as it stands, will cause the problems.

"We are waiting for an amended outline planning application from Bloor, which will deal with access, and the town council will discuss it as and when it comes forward."

The final decision, however, will lie with Herefordshire Council, and Cllr Barnes stressed that the only discussions currently ongoing were between Bloor and Herefordshire Council.

Under Herefordshire's Council's planning blueprint for the next two decades, the Core Strategy, the land to the north of the viaduct is earmarked for 625 new homes, and Bloor Homes wants to build them.

Herefordshire Council declined to comment on the progress of the talks.

A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said: “Discussions around the means of access to the Ledbury Viaduct site are ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”