Housing plans submitted for Thatcham's Pound Lane depot

47 homes proposed for derelict recycling centre

PLANS have finally been submitted to convert the Pound Lane depot into housing.

Persimmon Homes North London wants to demolish the former Veolia recycling depot and replace it with 47 homes. Fourteen of the homes have been earmarked for affordable housing.

Access to the site will be from Pound Lane at a relocated junction opposite Richmond Avenue.

Persimmon says that the application is an excellent opportunity to redevelop a derelict brownfield site in a sustainable location.

The developer is proposing 102 car parking spaces and is predicting 228 vehicle movements a day from the site.

Traffic modeling said that while the number of two-way trips in any single hour would be reduced, there would be an increase during peak highway hours and a slight increase during the day.

And while the nearest primary schools, Parsons Down Infants and Juniors, are 700 metres away, pupils attending the nearest secondary school, Kennet, would have to travel nearly two miles.

“This represents a relatively long walk at approximately 30 minutes, but represents a reasonable cycle time of 8.5 minutes, therefore meaning cycling to school is a viable option, given that the majority of the route is traffic free,” the transport assessment states.

Persimmon also says that the homes would help to meet housing targets, while increasing the housing supply and provision for affordable housing.

It adds that site contamination presents a challenge for the project, but studies have not identified any contamination that would prohibit developing the site for housing.

West Berkshire Council proposed to sell the Veolia site in 2013 after it became surplus to requirements, following the opening of the Padworth centre in 2012.

At the time of the sale being decided, the council agreed that an amount of money raised should be earmarked towards more affordable housing in the district.

To view the application enter 15/03468/FULEXT into West Berkshire Council’s planning website.

A decision is due by Friday, April 15.

Persimmon has also expressed an interest in developing homes on the Lower Way field.

The field has been outlined to accommodate 85 homes in the council’s development plan document.