S278 Highway Works B2000

Representatives from the Parish Council and Ward councillors are in regular communication with Redrow and Medway Council during the S278 works and site meetings will be held periodically and updates posted here.  Any general queries Parishioners may have relating to road closure times/dates etc may be sent to clerk@cliffeandcliffewoods-pc.gov.uk and these will be collated and referred to Redrow and Medway Council. Keep an eye on this page for updates. 

Any other queries, in particular technical queries relating to the S278 works between Tennyson Avenue and View Road, should be referred to Redrow direct as the Parish Council will be unable to answer. This includes issues unique to directly affected homes such as short-term vehicular access, etc. A contact email address and telephone number is contained within the first attachment.

The first attachment below refers to the original information supplied by Redrow on the planned road closures and Section 278 highway works being conducted on the B2000 in Cliffe Woods between View Road and Tennyson Avenue. This information is now outdated and sadly some disruption can be expected for a longer period.

Update 02/06/23 - Issues continue between UK Power Networks and Medway Highways department. Redrow have progressed their S278 Highways Works but are now held up by the required UKPN works. They have installed a pelican crossing, but Medway Highways will not commission it until further highways works are complete. Redrow must install a traffic island and also a path outside the houses between View Road and Tennyson Avenue (non-Redrow side). Redrow are seeking early occupation and visitors to the show homes, but are restricted by a planning condition that the highways works must be completed beforehand. They are seeking a compromise solution that allows some access and this will be on the Agenda of Medway' Council's next Planning Meeting. The lack of UKPN works means that the pole is still in the road, so the current bollards will be upgraded to water-filled larger bollards to protect the Telegraph pole in the meantime. A further issue arises that the pole will be in sight line of anybody leaving the Redrow site so potentially dangerous to emerging traffic.

The rest of the UKPN works are expected to take 5 days and will require the B2000 (Town Road) to be closed. The planned diversion will be Merryboys Road and View Road. Appreciating the difficulties at the school, the works are planned for August 14th during the school holidays. Local business will be contacted and the works widely advertised.

After these works, there is still further work and it is expected that there will be single carriageway working while the new footway works are being carried out. The new schedule means that the works on Town Road are not expected to complete until the end of October 2023.

Update 05/06/23 - Redrow seek permission to amend MC/19/0287 to allow up to 20 homes to be occupied prior to the S278 works being completed. Medway Council's planning officers recommend approval to the Planning Committee and we await their decision. Nine neighbours and the Parish Council have objected, mainly on safety grounds. Click on file below for more information. Update from Medway Council planning committee 7th June 2023 - application deferred due to safety issues that require addressing. Their next meeting is in July.

Update 29/08/23 - Notes from meeting held with Redrow on 29th August 2023.

Present: Josephine Baker (Redrow), Timi Ayoola (Redrow), Peter Moore (resident), Cllr Gary Etheridge, Cllr John Williams, Cllr Chris Fribbins & Cllr Barry Dibble.

1. UKPN works has resulted in a post restricting the width of the pathway to 1.2M on residents side of the path adjacent to where the crossing will be. This is hazardous and pedestrians could potentially be hit by the wing mirrors of passing lorries. Redrow agree with this but say it is Medway Highways, and not Redrow, who are the responsible body.
2. Town Road is due to be closed for 3 nights from 4th September for resurfacing works to be completed. Noisy works should be done up until 21:00 with quieter work being done overnight. Note: The onsite signage states 6 nights closure from 4th September.
3. Sales entrance off Town Road should be coned off but is currently partially open and being used as a layby for members of the public looking at the new builds. Redrow will block this off until the formal opening of the entrance.
4. Worsening sewage smells were reported to Redrow, who say this is the responsibility of Southern Water. They will monitor from resident comments and ask for a double sealed manhole cover if necessary.
5. Worsening fresh water pressure in existing village. Redrow say this is a long-standing problem and the responsibility of Southern Water.
6. Cliffe Woods allotments were discussed and will be available once (number to be confirmed) houses are occupied.
7. Cycle route to Bucklands Lane – will be made available once 50 houses are occupied.
8. The Redrow planning application for amendments to their planning submission is approved and conditioned accordingly to the submitted plans, Redrow are proposing (and in some cases have already made changes e.g. tree cover on road frontage). Redrow assess these as minor changes, but they do impact on 36 previously submitted and approved plans. Amendments in file below.

Update 07/09/23 - We have been advised by Redrow (Timi Ayoola) that there is a change of dates for UKPN overnight closure of B2000 Town Road. Assuming there are no further changes, the night works will now commence on 14th/15th September.

Update 08/09/23 - We have been indirectly advised by a resident that the UKPN overnight closure is delayed yet again and is now likely to commence from 18th September and last for 3 nights. Apparently noisy works will occur throughout the night. Please be aware that this update did not originate from Redrow but from a chance meeting between a resident and Walkers Construction (the contractor for the works).

Update 20/09/23 - We have been told that Town Road will now be closed overnight from 8:00pm until 5:00am starting 3rd October for 5 nights. The contractor has been asked to display signage two weeks prior and to carry out a letter drop to those residents directly facing the works. The traffic order reference is 181/23.

Update 12/10/23 - The recent planned overnight closure of Town Road was abandoned due to disruption so the overnight works are now scheduled for 23rd to 27th October from 20:00 until 05:00, finishing on Saturday 28th October. A copy of the letter informing affected residents can be downloaded below.