THERE is likely to be a single access point to a proposed new housing estate to the north of Ledbury viaduct, and that will be located either off the Bromyard Road or it will pass under the viaduct, from the Hereford Road.

This is a significant change to Herefordshire Council plans, which originally did not rule out two access points.

The access issue has once again raised fears among the local community that the Bromyard Road might become the favoured option.

Homend barber, Colin Thorne, who has been a Ledbury businessman for 50 years, stepped into the fray this week with his concerns.

He said: "In my opinion, an entrance off the Bromyard Road will cause absolute chaos in the future, and does not address the problem of the Ledbury railway bridge for the lorries."

The low railway bridge is right by the junction of the Bromyard Road and Hereford Road, and it is already a tricky junction to negotiate at rush hour, without the presence of a major new estate just beyond it, and the extra traffic that estate would generate.

Mr Thorne is not alone with his concerns. There have been protests under the railway bridge in recent months and 70 Wellington Heath people attended the village's annual parish meeting in May, where concerns over Bromyard Road access to the proposed estate became the major topic.

Because of local fears over the traffic problems that might result from a Bromyard Road access, Herefordshire Council revealed this week that the planning inspector, who is currently inspecting the plan, is taking the unusual step of looking at the access issues, in advance of any planning application being received for the proposed 625 house estate.

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said: "Detailed access requirements are normally an issue considered at planning application stage rather than through the preparation of a strategic plan. However, a significant number of representations were made expressing concern about the published main modifications for the Ledbury Viaduct Site and, in particular, the wording changes regarding the vehicular access to the site. These representations are being considered by Inspector in preparing her report to the council upon the soundness of the Core Strategy."

This report is likely to be completed by the end of the summer.

The change of wording in the Core Strategy document, the council's planning blueprint for the next two decades, is small but significant.

The original wording spoke of "primary" access, and so did not rule a secondary access point to the estate. But the word "primary" has now been dropped, and the Core Strategy document now reads: "Vehicular access will be either the Hereford Road under the viaduct or from the Bromyard Road."

No preference is given; but the idea of putting a road under the viaduct has long caused problems for Herefordshire Council.

In 2005, it was revealed that the council had failed to get permission from railway authorities to build an extension of the Ledbury bypass under the railway viaduct.

The sticking point then was the cost of maintaining the Grade II listed structure, which dates from 1861 and contains an estimated one million bricks.

For Mr Thorne this is not really an issue.

He said: "I am sure any good engineer could build a type of causeway through the arches, without touching the structure at all.

"Two causeways would be a more practical option, giving the option to close one or the other for maintenance."

He added: "I am hoping that this feasible solution could be useful in any future debates. If we as a town do not stick up for ourselves, Ledbury will be spoilt forever."