Housing developer Bewley Homes defends controversial 350-home scheme on floodplain near Newbury

The housing developer behind a controversial scheme to build 350 homes on Common Farm, Wash Water, has defended its proposals.

Bewley Homes says the ‘Watermill Bridge’ development – which has attracted heavy criticism for its location and lack of provision for infrastructure – will be the company’s flagship ‘eco’ development, and its first application to run a low carbon scheme with a high biodiversity net gain.

The company said all homes and 20 per cent of visitor parking spaces will have electric vehicle charging points; that it was proposing to install air source heat pumps instead of traditional gas boilers; and that it was planning to utilise rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling across the scheme.

A community building in the centre of the site, located just over the border in Basingstoke and Deane, will be powered by an on-site waterwheel.

Forty per cent of the homes would be classed as ‘affordable’, while some of them will be age restricted to accommodate older people.

The development also includes proposals for the creation of a dedicated cycle route, extending 1.8km down the A343 from the site into Newbury.

This means the cycle route would stretch from the site to approximately Park House School.

Bewley Homes’ strategic land director Andy Morris said: “We are very excited with our plans for Watermill Bridge which has had the input from local people during a variety of public consultation exercises.

“If planning is granted this will be an exemplar development for the area showcasing innovation in sustainable and environmentally conscious construction.

“We are not only proposing to meet the Government’s targets, but this site will surpass biodiversity net gain requirements and future home standards.”

After the scheme was unveiled earlier this year, residents set up a campaign group called ‘Keep Wash Water Rural’ – aiming to rally locals into objecting to the scheme.

Chief among residents’ concerns, particularly those on the adjacent Enborne Row, was the fear of an increase in flooding, as the site is on a flood plain of the River Enborne.

However, Mr Morris has aimed to dispel these fears, saying “new sustainable drainage systems” would withstand a 1 in 100 year storm.

He said: “During our public consultation, we met many local residents, some of whom held concerns relating to the flood plain of the river Enborne.

“Extensive modelling undertaken in collaboration with the Environment Agency confirms that new homes as proposed at Watermill Bridge would not be at risk of flooding.

“The new sustainable drainage systems will withstand a 1 in 100 year storm event plus an additional 40 per cent allowance for increases in rainfall due to climate change, and will not worsen flooding for existing residents.”

An outline planning application has been submitted for the 350 homes, while a full planning application has also been submitted for the first phase of the development on the east side of the site, which will include 90 homes and a public open space.

These plans will now go to the borough council for consideration.

To view the plans, head to the borough council’s planning portal and enter the reference 21/03394/OUT.