Thatcham Town Council raises its concerns with Hambridge Lake chalets plan in objection

Thatcham Town Council has objected to an application for holiday chalets between Newbury and Thatcham.

Nine three-bed chalets and a clubhouse with access were requested for a site off Hambridge Road.

The two-storey chalets would line the lake and each of them come up to around 10 metres tall, with a total floor space of 190 metres squared across both floors.

The plans also include parking areas for 26 cars, new pedestrian links, raised walkways and 18 fishing stations.

In its official objection – which was approved in a planning and highways meeting on Tuesday evening – the town council said: “Thatcham Town Council observes that the nine holiday chalets have the appearance of luxury dwellings for permanent occupation.

“The clubhouse appears to lack the facilities needed for this function such as cooking, serving and washing up.”

Plans for holiday chalets on this site have been proposed before with the applicant originally seeking permission to build 41 chalets.

The plans have started to receive objections which can be viewed on West Berkshire Council’s planning portal.

Some of the reasons for objections are the obstruction to the Hambridge Lane National Cycleway, added congestion, disruption to the environment and concern over development on one of the last remaining undeveloped gaps between Thatcham and Newbury.

Two residents attended the meeting at the town council offices, on Brownsfield Road, to address their worries directly with councillors.

Nearby resident Angelika Rivero raised concern with the size of the individual chalets – which stand at 10 metres tall – likening them to a nearby block of flats.

She also drew on light pollution, flood risk due to tree removal and ecology.

She asked the council chamber: “Are we seriously to believe these are designed to be built as holiday chalets?

“People come to Newbury for racing and they stay in hotels.

“This [development] would not add to the local economy.”

Councillor Tom McCann also drew on the applicant’s intentions referencing previous [incidents] where developments for holiday buildings became permanent living accommodation.

When objector Mrs Rivero attended a planning and highways meeting for an application for 41 chalets on the same site in 2020, she called the plans a Trojan horse for housing.

On behalf of the applicant’s agent, landscape architect, for infrastructure and environmental consultant company Rappor, Nick Harman reassured those present that the chalets were strictly for holiday use – not hotels and not housing.

He said West Berkshire Council, when coming to a decision on whether or not to grant permision, can impose restrictions ensuring the use remains for holiday making only.

He also said the plans were seriously reduced in scale since the previous 41 chalet plans because of concerns with over development, trees, ecology and landscape.

He said the development would bring a positive contribution to the rural economy.

To view and comment on the application, enter 23/00989/FULMAJ into West Berkshire Council’s planning website.