UP TO 100 lorries a day could be using a small village road for the next two years if a plan to extend a golf course goes ahead. Barkway Park Golf Club has submitted a planning application to redevelop its current practice area and an adjacent field into

UP TO 100 lorries a day could be using a small village road for the next two years if a plan to extend a golf course goes ahead.

Barkway Park Golf Club has submitted a planning application to redevelop its current practice area and an adjacent field into a three-hole golf academy and practice range.

Part of the application sees the golf club seeking approval for up to 200 tipper lorry trips to and from the site per day over the next two years, to bring in "inert material" needed to reshape the area.

A resident of Barkway, who asked not to be named, said: "That could mean a total of 146,000 lorries, which sounds rather excessive for shaping three extra holes of a golf course, unless of course one of them is going to be called Mount Nuthampstead and the golfers are going to be issued with climbing gear."

The planning application states that "the proposed route of the tipper lorries

would be via the A10 to Buckland and then the lane from Buckland to Barkway".

However, the resident believes the road is not suitable for this volume of traffic.

He said: "The Buckland Road is a single track road and is already in dreadful condition at the Buckland end.

"The surface is cracking up and there are numerous large potholes. I know personally of at least two people who have had damage to their cars along this road due to potholes.

"The turn into Barkway High Street is dangerous enough for cars, let alone 100 lorries per day. The Nuthampstead road is also very narrow and has a bridge that warns that it is not suitable for heavy traffic."

Geoff Cannon, proprietor of Barkway Park Golf Club, said: "We're only applying for 200 lorries because that's the maximum we'll need. We'll still be happy if we get permission for less than that."

Mr Cannon confirmed that the work will go on for approximately two years, "depending on the economic climate", but said that local people are unlikely to see a big increase in traffic.

He said: "A lot of lorries already use that road going to and from the chalk pit at Anstey."

The club is also looking to build a new clubhouse in the near future.

Mr Cannon said: "They got permission to build a clubhouse some time ago, so we're looking to get that project started again.

"It would be a good facility for the community and create some new jobs.