Footballer Charlie Austin joins Hungerford housing row

'...seriously, it's going to cause traffic carnage!'

FOOTBALLER Charlie Austin has waded into the row over Hungerford’s controversial 100-homes development.

The West Bromwich Albion forward and former Hungerford Town FC player, who went to John O’Gaunt School, took to Twitter to ask: “When these new houses get built in Hungerford can you tell me how the town will cope with all the new traffic?

“Yes, more trade for the town but seriously, it’s going to cause traffic carnage!”

Bewley Homes has won permission for the King’s Ride development in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) off Salisbury Road and ground-breaking work has already begun.

Meanwhile, former town councillor Jan Giggins has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, urging him to ‘call in’ the matter for review.

She has warned of “other known development intentions in the locality including [West Berkshire Council’s] own intentions for the land retained at John O Gaunt School”.

That is a reference to the district council’s decision to fence off and claw back a large chunk of the school playing fields as part of a deal in May 2017 when the school became an academy.

One resident warned at the time: “The fenced-off land would make an ideal second access for the [King’s Ride] development.

“They are working very closely with the developer and there’s a suspicion this was all settled long ago.”

West Berkshire Council spokesman Martin Dunscombe did not address the issue of any specific plans for the site, but said at the time: “West Berkshire Council has a responsibility to manage its assets carefully to ensure they are used responsibly for the benefit of the whole district.”