Council criticised over housing and traveller sites consultation

The suggestions were rejected as “nonsense” by council leader Gordon Lundie (Con, Lambourn Valley).
Local Liberal Democrats claimed the Conservative-controlled district council was avoiding proper consultation over the Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD), which sets out proposals to provide 10,500 new homes by 2026.
The document also identifies four preferred sites in West Berkshire for 14 permanent pitches for gyspy and traveller camps, and a further 24 plots for travelling showpeople - Padworth Farm (Rag Hill, Aldermaston), Clappers Farm (Beech Hill), New Stocks Farm (Paices Hill, Aldermaston) and the Circus Headquarters (Enborne).
The proposals could see nine pitches added to the existing privately-run gypsy and traveller site at Paices Hill, eight pitches introduced at Clappers Farm, one pitch at Padworth Farm and the full requirement of 24 travelling showpeople accommodated at the Zippos Circus, Circus Headquarters. It has already caused a stir, with a statement on the Beech Hill village website saying the proposals were a “bombshell”, while Aldermaston Parish Council said it would object to any further pitches at Paices Hill.
Padworth Parish Council chairman Keith Gilbert said: “We have had enough development as it is and there is another travellers site across the A4 at Beenham. We don’t want another site here.”
A statement from Enborne Parish Council read: “Enborne Parish Council has real concerns for both the settled residents and the major expansion of travelling show people population on our small parish as proposed in the DPD Plan.”
It added: “This is not just about the existing Zippo circus site in Enborne as the West Berkshire plan is wider than that.
"The allocation West Berkshire plans includes increasing parish residency greatly and that will create real social and infrastructure problems for both settled residents in our parish and the planned expanded travelling show peoples.
The DPD document went to public consultation on July 25 and will run for seven weeks until September 12 - but the Liberal Democrats claimed that not enough was being done to inform residents of the proposals and how they can get involved.
Shadow Portfolio for Housing and Planning, Alan Macro (Lib Dem, Theale), said: “The housing sites proposed by the council will have a dramatic effect on the towns and villages where they are located. “
The council is consulting on them, but is doing very little to publicise the sites and how residents can have their say. The information on their website is full of jargon and difficult to understand."
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Newbury, Judith Bunting, said: "This is another example of the way our Tory-led council is not interested in hearing the views of the public.
“These plans concern all of us who live in West Berkshire and this is an extremely important document. Much more should be done to publicise this consultation and I find it rather concerning that it isn’t.”
She added that it was a “rather sad coincidence” that the consultation was taking place when many people were away on their holidays.
However, Mr Lundie retorted: “It is nonsense. We have written to every person within 100 metres of the preferred sites and have extended the consultation by a week longer than we have to.
“In our letters we have provided people with the link to our website to comment on the consultation.
“If people are on holiday for eight weeks and don’t read their post then yes, maybe they might miss it.”
Copies of the DPD are available at council offices, libraries and on the council website.
Following the consultation, the council will prepare a detailed plan to go before full council in December. Travellers have recently been spotted setting up temporary camp at two sites in Greenham as well as off Monks Lane.