Newmarket residents on the warpath after company closes footpath linking Exning Road with Willie Snaith Road and Studlands Park estate

Residents are on the warpath following the closure of what was a much-used public footpath linking Newmarket’s Exning Road with Willie Snaith Road and the Studlands Park estate.

The path, which was also used by pupils and parents of Laureate Community Academy, has been fenced off by the owners of Allied Mechanical Services, which has built a new office complex in Willie Snaith Road, the car park for which now extends over the what was the footpath’s route.

Studlands Park resident Barry Knott raised the issue at a meeting of Newmarket Town Council last month, when he explained to councillors how the path had been closed.

“The only route now open to pedestrians is a path which is stipulated as a bridleway,” he said. “It is little more than a track, gets very muddy and is not suitable for mums pushing pushchairs,” he said.

Cllr Andy Drummond said he had been trying to work with Allied. “The site has a covenant that they should reinstate the path,” he said.

Back in February last year Cllr Drummond told the Journal: “Maintaining access along this footpath was supposed a condition on the planning application when Allied started developing the land, but for some reason it wasn’t. We believe the path has been used for some time, probably since Willie Snaith Road was built and it would be quite far for people to go around and would involve crossing roads which brings a safety element with it.”

And in the report included in Allied original 2018 planning application, the planning officer, Kerri Cooper, stated: “At present a formal footpath is located along the eastern boundary of the site, with the footpath then running through the site before connecting to Willie Snaith Road. As part of the proposed development the footpath is being diverted along the boundary of the site.”

Resident Richard Allen, who is also pressing for the path to be re-opened, said: “Nothing appears to be happening at the moment but we are hoping the town council is going to take this up with Suffolk County Council to get this path recognised as a public right of way so the path can be re-opened.”

Allied Mechanical Services has been contacted for comment but has not responded.