Another 85 homes for Newbury?

Proposals to build on land off Andover Road, a stone's throw from Sandleford

PLANS to build up to 85 new homes a stone’s throw from the 2,000-home Sandleford Park development in South Newbury have been described as “a bad idea”.

Cheshire-based developer Gladman Developments is proposing the new residential development on land off Andover Road.

The plans include up to 40-per-cent affordable housing, formal and informal public open space on site, potential bus stop improvements and an improved footpath along Andover Road.

Vehicle access to the site would be from Andover Road.

Gladman, which is behind plans to build up to 70 homes in Burghfield and 300 homes in Tadley, says that West Berkshire Council has not identified sufficient land to meet its housing need.

John Gardner, Newbury town councillor for the St John’s Ward, where the site is based, said: “I cannot see that any more housing in that area would be a good idea.

“I am concerned that the traffic studies we have at present do not show a solution to Newbury’s traffic problems.”

A leaflet has been sent to 505 households and businesses in Newbury informing them of the proposals.

In the leaflet, it says: “Councils have a duty to ensure that sufficient housing can be delivered to meet all of the housing needs of the population in a five-year rolling period. To do this they must identify sufficient land to meet their wider housing need. Gladman considers West Berkshire Council falls short on this.”

Gladman said it understood that there was sufficient capacity in the local schools to accommodate the expected number of children who would be living on the completed development.

The site off Andover Road is less than half-a-mile from Monks Lane, where 2,000 new homes will be built over the next decade.

There are already concerns as to how Newbury’s infrastructure will cope with the additional traffic generated from Sandleford Park, West Berkshire’s largest-ever development.

Gladman says it will consider all correspondence received for the Andover Road proposals and will use feedback to form part of any planning application.

Comments can be sent via www.your-views. co.uk/ newbury; you can email @your-views.co.uk (using Newbury as the subject line); or post responses to: Your Views – Newbury, Gladman Developments Ltd, Gladman House, Alexandria Way, Congleton, CW12 1LB.