Cold Ash housing scheme turned down
Planning Inspectorate dismisses case
A BID to build eight homes on a contentious site in Cold Ash has been rejected by a government planning inspector.
An attempt to build six homes at Greenbanks has also been withdrawn.
James Sorrentino, of Lightwood Property, had appealed West Berkshire Council’s decision to refuse plans for eight homes, with two new access points off The Ridge and one off Collaroy Road.
The developer said that the proposal was acceptable in principle, “being within the settlement boundary, and infill development forms part of the character of the area”.
The council disagreed and raised concerns over road safety and the out-of-character nature of the development.
Residents submitted 48 letters of objection and Cold Ash Parish Council also objected.
Lightwood appealed the council’s decision and also submitted a new scheme for six homes on the site.
But the attempt to build eight homes has fallen again after planning inspector Joe Alderman dismissed the appeal.
Mr Alderman said that the development would “appear incongruous and out of place within its rural surroundings” and “have a harmful effect on highway safety”.
He said that the positioning of the homes would result in “a dominant development” when viewed from Collaroy Road and would conflict with its rural character.
Furthermore, Mr Alderman said that the apparent removal of vegetation from the site had created a more open aspect, adding to the detrimental effect on the rural area.
Addressing road safety issues, Mr Alderman said that vehicles would have to perform complex manoeuvres to exit.
“He added that vehicles leaving plot one would be more likely to reverse on to the narrow Collaroy Road and vehicles turning from The Ridge would be confronted with a reversing vehicle.
Mr Alderman said that Lightwood had argued that parking one vehicle on Collaroy Road would not create a hazard.
But the inspector disagreed due to the narrowness of Collaroy Road and said that traffic traversing the corner would not expect a parked vehicle.
On alternative modes of transport, Mr Alderman said: “Due to the rural nature and narrowness of parts of the road network and the lack of designated cycling ways, this mode of transport could also be hazardous for future occupants.
“Although apparently there have been no accidents in the area to date this does not mean that with increased usage by pedestrians and cyclists, they might not occur in the future.”
Two affordable homes would be required with the scheme and the inspector added that there was no information to suggest that the development’s viability would be threatened as a result of including affordable housing.
Plans to build six homes on the site were withdrawn last week.
