ACCESS to a popular green lane has been blocked due to a six-month road closure, causing consternation for dog walkers.

Rainbow Lane on the northern edge of Malton has been blocked for up to six months while building work takes place on 56 new homes in an adjacent field.

But the blockage means access has been cut off to Green Lane, a popular walking spot for locals.

Green Lane is accessed from Rainbow Lane near the building site entrance, but it leads away from the site, along the back of some cul-de-sacs towards the old quarry.

Resident Madeleine Davis said that some dog walkers were even getting in their cars to drive elsewhere to walk their animals.

“No-one is saying don’t build the houses,” she said. “They’ve got to be built. But why close the path to walkers?”

Another resident Ruth Oakley has been using Green Lane to exercise her pets for more than 30 years and currently has two dogs.

She said people are frustrated at the lack of information and that they have been given several conflicting reasons for the blockage.

“There’s no clarity as to what’s happening,” she said. “The lane is like a lifeline for a lot of people round here.”

A North Yorkshire County Council notice at the site says that the closure of the public bridleway will be in place until March 31, 2019.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: “North Yorkshire County Council has permitted Lindum Homes to close the public bridleway known as Rainbow Lane in Malton to allow them to safely construct a new access road to their Peasey Hills development.

“While the closure period lasts until March 31, Lindum Homes has the discretion to open the bridleway within that period if they feel it is safe to do so.

“Green Lane is not a recorded public right of way.

“However, in light of recent feedback, we have asked Lindum Homes to consider maintaining public access to it throughout

the closure period and we are working closely with them to minimise disruption to the public.”

Access to the Rainbow Equine Vets is now through Old Malton only, but a spokesman for the vets said they have no issues with the closure, and that they have been kept well-informed by the site manager.

The application for 56 new homes on the land at the back of Dickens Road was approved by the Ryedale District Council in March.

The homes will be a mixture of three, two and one-bed houses and bungalows.