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Four major organisations raise concerns over Sandleford application




Objections include fears over damage to ancient woodland

FOUR major organisations have lined up to express their concerns about Newbury’s Sandleford Park application.

In the same week the public consultation ends, Thames Water, The Woodland Trust, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Sport England have all written to West Berkshire Council to voice their disapproval over various aspects of the current proposals.

Developer Bloor Homes has submitted plans to build up to 2,000 new homes, two new primary schools and a 215 acre country park on land just off Monks Lane in south Newbury.

However, The Woodland Trust – the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity – has formally objected to the plans, saying 2,000 new homes will cause damage and deterioration to ancient woodland.

Sandleford has seven areas of ancient woodland – defined as an area that has been wooded continuously since at least 1600AD and is a nationally important and threatened habitat.

The Woodland Trust’s objection adds: “Ancient woodland sites are irreplaceable, the continuity of woodland has preserved historical and ecological features in a unique way. It is essential that this habitat is protected from development.”

In a double blow to the developer, even the council's own highways team has criticised the application.

Meanwhile, Thames Water has warned that the existing water infrastructure at Sandleford Park cannot cope with 2,000 new homes and advised the district council make a recommendation that no work should take place at the site until a detailed drainage strategy has been submitted by the developer.

The water giant says the developer needs to prove it has plans in place to ensure the development has no negative impact on the water supply to the properties near to the site.

And the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has warned that the current site does not have a suitable water supply to effectively fight a fire and recommended the district council asks Bloor Homes to make domestic sprinklers a requirement to address the problem.

Sport England’s objection says: “Sport England notes that the illustrative masterplan shows housing located on the triangle of playing field land that forms part of the existing rugby club.

“Sport England would not support the development of housing on the existing rugby club playing field and is likely to object to any forthcoming reserved matters application that identifies this land for playing field and allocates it for other uses.”

For full Sandleford coverage, including the latest on the proposed access roads and reaction to plans to build a bridge through the site, see this week's Newbury Weekly News.



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