Brick by brick, development rises in defiance of planning conditions

Developers taking a gamble, say planning chiefs

DEVELOPERS are taking a gamble by continuing to forge ahead with an unauthorised Hungerford housing scheme.

Although West Berkshire Council enforcement officers are powerless to stop the build at Upper Eddington, senior planning officer Jake Brown has warned Waddington Forbes Homes Ltd: “Please note that the development is currently unauthorised and may be subject to enforcement action. Therefore any further development of the site continues at your own risk.”

Meanwhile the buildings continue to rise, in apparent defiance of planning regulations.

Planning permission for two detached houses with garages on land adjoining 14 to 19 Upper Eddington was originally granted to Waddington Forbes Homes Ltd of Cookham, despite objections, in 2012.

But furious residents demanded action after claiming that work, specifically forbidden by planning conditions, was ploughing ahead regardless – and the homes’ number of bedrooms has doubled from two each to four.

They also fear a landslide and claim their fences have been damaged.

Developers have applied to vary 11 conditions, provoking uproar among residents of Upper Eddington, Waram Close, Linden Lea and Hamblin Meadow, who claim contractors have cut down trees, ripped up hedges and ploughed ahead, despite pleas for them to stop.

Hungerford Town Council, which objected to removing the conditions, has expressed frustration at the district council’s apparent impotence.

One of the affected residents, Matt Ulry, said this week: “The houses are both up to, and beyond, the second- floor stage of build and the developers have shown no signs of slowing up or stopping.

“We have received little contact from West Berkshire Council’s planning office as to the current stage of affairs and we have had to result to pestering the department to gain the little information we have.”

He added: “We believe the district council is arranging an appointment for some residents who are directly affected to attend an open evening planning meeting later in the month and to have a few moments to voice our concerns. We await confirmation of this.”

Bill Forbes of Waddington Forbes Homes Ltd, has said the firm is working with planners to “resolve some outstanding matters relating to planning conditions”.

West Berkshire Council had not responded to requests for comment or information about the meeting as this newspaper went to press.