Residents of a Smith’s neighbourhood have called for “industrialisation” of the area to be halted pending a traffic study.

Almost 60 residents of Lolly’s Well Road, Hamilton Sound Road and Manor House Condominiums have signed a petition against a planning application to create a warehouse in industrial-zoned land in the area.

The warehouse at 7 Earl’s Lane was described in planning documents as a three unit tensile structure covering 12 shipping containers. It was submitted by engineering company Brunel Ltd on behalf of owner Roger Pimental.

However, the petition said the application did not say what the nature or volume of traffic the proposal and others would bring to the area.

The petition said: “The impact of the overall intensification of industrial activity in the area must be taken into consideration. Applications cannot be viewed in isolation.

“Bierman will be submitting a significant application with regard to their operations. Fast Forward Freight Ltd/Corrado Trust may win their appeal for a freight transit facility. Both applications will generate excessive traffic.

“Together they are likely to bring the flow of traffic to a halt.

“Invisible Trenching Ltd, Pimental Crane Services, and Evergreen and Pimentel Swimming Pools all have heavy trucks and construction vehicles that will further tax what is already a dangerous roadway.”

The petition urged the Department of Planning to place applications on hold until an independent traffic impact study can be completed.

In addition to the overall industrialisation of the area, the petition writers raised concerns about safety because the road that leads to the industrial area is steep with sharp turns.

The petition also noted that since the road under the Manor House Bridge had been lowered, tractor trailers had begun to use the route.

“As they cross the centre, which they repeatedly do, they present a hazard to road users,” the petition said.

The petition writers also noted a recent incident in which a wall was damaged after a trailer broke loose and rolled down Lolly’s Well Road.

“Fortunately, as no one was in the immediate area at the time, there were no injuries, but the outcome could easily have been catastrophic,” the petition said.

“Although in this instance, the truck’s presence was not connected to the industrial areas, the incident demonstrates how dangerous it is for heavy trucks to manoeuvre at the top of a steep hill in a residential neighbourhood.”

The petition added that the increase in large vehicle traffic in the area would create noise pollution that residents would have to deal with.

“Conditions such as a steep incline, heavy loads, empty vehicles, overloading, road surface, and stopping/starting cause heavy labouring of vehicle engines and increase traffic noise levels,” the petition writers said. “Traffic noise levels increase exponentially.

“An in-depth Environmental Impact analysis of the cumulative noise pollution created by truck traffic and its effect on Lolly’s Well Road residents is necessary.

“The amenity destruction from each trip would be multiple orders of magnitude higher than what is considered tolerable for a residential area.”

Residents previously balked at a proposal by Fast Forward Freight to create a container depot in the area on a similar basis.

The company argued that the proposal fell into the classification of “light industrial”, which was permitted by the property’s zoning, but the application was refused by the Development Application’s Board.