A RESIDENT made an impassioned plea for council help to fight a compulsory purchase order on land needed for the Royston underpass. Peter Ketteringham, of Green Street, Royston, spoke on Monday night as Royston Town Council s finance committee discussed t

A RESIDENT made an impassioned plea for council help to fight a compulsory purchase order on land needed for the Royston underpass.

Peter Ketteringham, of Green Street, Royston, spoke on Monday night as Royston Town Council's finance committee discussed their response to the compulsory purchase order (CPO) issued last month in relation to land adjacent to Coombes Lane, where the underpass will be built..

With the October 2 deadline for objections looming, Mr Ketteringham asked councillors to look at the plans in detail.

He said: "Please give consideration to other people who are involved. The CPO is not essential as there is plenty of space.

"Green Street has space for vehicles, and Coombes Lane is wider still."

The CPO affects 42 areas, including council owned allotment land. If the work goes ahead, the current allotments clubhouse will be demolished.

Councillors resolved to meet those behind the �3.7million underpass scheme, which will link the Burns Road estate with the rest of Royston, to talk about the reasons for the CPO being issued.

Cllr Elizabeth Beardwell said: "We must establish that the absolute minimum of land is taken. I'm very concerned for residents, especially those in Hardy Drive, who will be living next to a building site while the work takes place."

Cllr Mike Harrison added: "This council has been pushing for a railway crossing for some time.

"I think we must agree to the temporary use of allotment land, with the stipulation that it is put back into the same condition at the end of the project.

Anyone wishing to object to the construction of the underpass before October 2 can do so by writing to the Government Office for the North East, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4WH.