Housing sites in Pangbourne met with objection

West Berkshire Council’s Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document has identified two preferred options for new housing in the village.
Land at Green Lane for up to 36 properties and while the council says that the site is visually exposed, low rise development would not be visually intrusive if mitigation works were carried out. Highways concerns were also raised over the additional volumes of traffic onto narrow roads.
Land north of Pangbourne Hill and west of River View Road has also been selected to accommodate 35 properties the development of the whole area would have a significant impact to the west.
Pangbourne Parish Council has objected to West Berks Council proposed plans to develop two sites in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and outside the current Pangbourne village settlement boundary.
Councillors felt that the existing infrastructure is inadequate to support these developments and believes that it is not possible to implement improvements which will make the plans deliverable or sustainable.
The parish council's objections follow a public meeting where residents overwhelmingly opposed the plans.
In a statement parish councillors said: “The council firmly believes in the preservation of our countryside especially land designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
"Pangbourne is situated in the North Wessex Downs AONB and it is the beauty of the local environment which attracts visitors and encourages people to choose to live in the village, which is defined by the settlement boundary.
“If the unique attraction of Pangbourne is to be preserved for future generations, then we must recognise our responsibility to protect our environment and limit development which may spoil the natural beauty of the area.”