A GROUP of campaigners have reached their target of over 1500 petition signatures in a bid to stop a new motorway junction being built.

The owners of an equestrian centre and farm fear they may lose the home they have lived in for more than three decades if plans for the M40 junction 3a are given the green light.

The new junction was mooted by Wycombe District Council in their local plan, which was released in January.

Early plans suggest the new junction would be built on Spring Lane in Flackwell Heath which would have to result in the widening and development of the current single track road.

And owners of Cobbles Farm and Equestrian Centre believe there would be no way they could exist with a busy motorway junction next to them.

However, since they became aware of the plan they have petitioned the council to reject the idea, and as their online petition closed last week they had reached 1,617 signatures.

Pat Curtis who lives at Cobbles Farm said: “We are so pleased to see such a big support from people within the area.

“We are just hopeful it will actually make a difference. These plans are quite detailed but hopefully if the council realised there is a big opposition to it, then they may decide not to go ahead with it.

“It would have such a big impact; it would completely kill our home and business. But I think one of the most important things to say is it’s not even needed.

“My daughter drove along the motorway from Handy Cross the other day and she said she wasn’t even in top gear at the point she reached Spring Lane.”

The group received a big boost in support after someone posted a YouTube video appealing for help in fighting to keep the farm.

 

Mrs Curtis said: “We had no idea they were going to make the video and I think it was a really nice thing to do.

“It definitely supported our cause and we are really grateful to them.”

The family, along with other campaigners, will now take their petition to the council and they hope to be fully involved when the council give feedback to the consultation which ended in April.