CONCERNED Old Woking residents are due to file a petition with Woking Borough Council over plans to instigate a second wave of home building in Rydens Way.

Building firm William Lacey Group originally won the lucrative £9million contract for the council approved project in 2009.

Construction work then began in 2012 on a mixed development of 42 ‘eco-friendly’ one and two-bedroom flats, and two, three and four-bedroom dwellings, which were completed last year.

That first tranche of homes were built on a narrow strip of grassland that used to bisect the residential street, and locals are now concerned that they are set to lose their only remaining strips of green space: located next to the Old Woking Community Centre, where Rydens Way meets Sundridge Road, and its adjoining plot.

As reported by the News & Mail previously, Chief Executive of contractor William Lacey, Chris Lacey, has spoken about how much importance his company place on forging a strong bond with the community after residents originally protested against the building of the first run of new homes.

Speaking back in 2012, Mr Lacey said: “Increasingly it is becoming important to recognise our place in the community.

“Liaising with the community and engaging with the community is an important part of our development.”

However, resident of neighbouring Shackleford Road, Alison Tigwell, who has lived in the area for the past 12 years, has contacted the News & Mail to voice her dismay at the prospect of yet more disruption in the area, and raise concerns over the safety ramifications that it could bring.

To that end, Mrs Tigwell has instigated a petition, which at the time of writing, she says, has more than 500 signatures from like-minded Rydens Way residents and those living in the areas surrounding it, such as: Fairfax Road, Farm Road, Shackleford Road, Stockers Lane and Sundridge Road.

Mrs Tigwell said that her main concerns stem from the increase she has seen in the number of cars using the local roads, and the safety ricks it has for the many young families who reside there.

She said: “We have definitely seen a rise in car accidents in Rydens Way and the surrounding roads [many of which, she says, go unreported] after Phase One of the development.

“The new road layout, unclear road signage, and even the coloration of the road itself make it confusing for drivers and pedestrians, particularly young children who like to play out on the green spaces.

“The land in question has always been used for overflow parking, particularly by students, as there are already insufficient bays for them at Woking College.

“William Lacey have said that they will provide 20 extra parking spaces as part of Phase Two but that will be still be insufficient, especially when you also consider that on the whole there are two cars per household already.

“Where are all the existing, and extra cars, going to park?”

That petition is due to be presented by residents to a joint committee at the council offices on today (Wednesday, June 24).