Hungerford housing proposals - the backlash

Traffic 'chaos' predicted

A BACKLASH is brewing over plans to build 100 new houses on land east of Salisbury Road in Hungerford.

Critics claim the proposed development will cause traffic chaos, while the owners of the Chilton Estate insist the Folly Dog Leg Field area has been arbitrarily lumped together with other land and unfairly dismissed as a result.

West Berkshire Council’s Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) claims its proposed site on land east of Salisbury Road has a developable area of around five hectares.

It goes on to state that the provision of approximately 100 homes should constitute a “mix of dwelling sizes and types” and that the site will be accessed from the A338, with a widening of the footway alongside the A338 to the site.

The DPD further states that Hungerford Town Council’s preferred Eddington area site has “deliverability issues”.

But Chilton Estate spokesman Richard Nevill said: “This is absolutely not the case with Folly Dog Leg Field which forms the greatest part of the proposed development area and can be developed for housing immediately.

“Folly Dog Leg Field has direct access on to the A4 immediately adjacent to the Wyevale Garden Centre and does not have any deliverability constraints.

“It was West Berkshire Council’s idea, not supported by the Chilton Estate, to combine this site together with other, smaller adjoining sites that may well have deliverability issues and which may not be economic on their own, but which could form extensions of any primary development of (the area).”

Mr Nevill said any extensive new housing development to the south could “only exacerbate traffic problems in the town as most new residents attracted to Hungerford are most likely to have work to the east and west of the town, using the M4 and A4”.

The Chilton Estate has commissioned a number of traffic, wildlife and environmental impact studies, all of which, he said, confirm that the Folly Dog Leg Field is suitable for development.

At a meeting of Hungerford Town Council on Monday night, town mayor Martin Crane said: “A lot of surprise has been expressed that, despite our strong proposals to develop the north of town, this was completely ignored by West Berkshire Council.

“Lack of deliverability is total nonsense regarding the Chilton Estate. But they’ve got it all wrapped up with the garden centre. We feel there are better options and we are preparing our response.”

Mr Nevill said the Chilton Estate and its partner Southern Properties, will also be making further representations to West Berkshire Council “in order that final decisions about housing for Hungerford may be based on the facts that relate to the Eddington proposal”.

The DPD will go before district councillors for approval at a special meeting at St Bartholomew’s School, Newbury at 7pm tonight (Thursday).

A six-week consultation period, in which interested parties will have to digest a document several thousand pages long, will follow.

Meanwhile Hungerford Town Council has scheduled a public meeting for residents to have their say.

The meeting is due to take place in the Town Hall at 7pm on Wednesday, November 18.