Battle for Sandleford to feature on Channel 4 News

Campaigners attempting to derail West Berkshire Council’s selection of the site as a location for up to 2,000 homes are to feature on Channel 4 News on Sunday.
A broadcasting team interviewed Say NO! to Sandleford spokesman Peter Norman in the woods at the site, near to the site which served as inspiration for Richard Adams’ classic novel Watership Down.
The start of the book saw rabbits living in Sandleford Warren driven from their homes by encroaching developers, and it is this case of life imitating art which has sparked national interest.
Mr Norman said: “It was the Watership Down angle which had interested them but there are several threads to this. I spoke to them about localism and democracy.
“Even going out door to door now it is surprising how many people are unaware of this. Unlike the Pincents Hill development where councillors went out and canvassed local opinion, Sandleford has been left to locals to do it, so that is something that was brought up.
“Hopefully it means a few more people will find out what is going on.”
Speaking in favour of the development as part of the same broadcast was Wash Common resident Simon Kirby.
West Berkshire Council did initially plan to put a spokesman up but submitted a statement to Channel 4 News instead.
The struggle for the site took another twist last week when the independent planning inspector overseeing West Berkshire Council’s plans has questioned the council’s objectiveness in choosing Sandleford Park.
It came just two weeks after the council finalised its planning framework for housing which outlined plans for 10,500 homes to be built in the district by 2026.