LIVING STREETS’ plan for a green lane route to the Baubigny schools has been rejected by the Environment Department.

The application for the safety measures within a private vinery, which backs onto the Baubigny schools, was turned down because of an insufficient mitigation of the risks and potential hazards.

The plans were also refused because the green lane would have an adverse effect on the operation of the horticultural site and would lead to a loss of agricultural land.

Living Streets secretary Pat Wisher (pictured) said it had been news the group did not want to hear.

‘This is just another hurdle to overcome and we shall deal with it – we certainly will not give up,’ she said.

‘It appears that a report from Commerce and Employment’s horticultural section, which was only received on 11 August, persuaded the board to turn down our application.’

The road safety group has had to wait 17 weeks to get a response from Environment after campaigning for the green route to the Baubigny schools since June 2007.

The planning application had consisted of two access gates, an earth bank with hawthorn planting on top to delineate the pathway through the vinery site and a chain link fence to protect the children when they walk or cycle past the large bank of greenhouses.

The group has set up a meeting with Commerce and Employment, the Environment Planning Division and the vinery site owner on Wednesday 9 September to try to resolve some of the safety issues.