Infrastructure not available to support new Speen homes, says campaign group
Momentum is building in a campaign against new housing sites in Speen, as a residents action group vows to take legal action against the developments if permission is granted.
The Speen Action Group was formed in response to proposals to build 125 houses on land between Station Road, Lambourn Road and Bath Road, and a further 40 homes between Speen Lane and Hill Road.
“The group is about protecting our community, not just for now but in the future,” said member Julie Heneghan. “As a parent, I’m frightened that my children are going to get run over crossing the A4, or the dogs. “You cross the road and there’s no pavement at the war memorial. The road is a nightmare.”
The Station Road development site will also require the relocation of Speen allotments, which have been located there for close to 100 years, and the creation of a new access road on to Bath Road.
Several residents have objected to the proposals on the grounds of increased traffic on the already congested A4 Bath Road, lack of amenities, schools and health services to support the new homes, and the fact that they will be built on a site of significant historical importance for Newbury – one of the great Battles of Newbury.
So far, the group has distributed more than 350 flyers carrying the message ‘NO to Bath Road infill development, NO to allotment site relocation, NO to more traffic congestion’ to houses and businesses in the area, and has set up a website at www.speenactiongroup.org
Mrs Heneghan added: “Speen is only a small place but there’s no green space. We’ve got that field, that is it. There’s no [adequate] play area, there’s no tennis courts, there’s nothing.”
She also said that some members of the group would together fund legal advice and action if plans for either of the Speen developments were approved.
Fellow member Graeme Lowe added: “There’s no infrastructure here to support the developments. “There’s no doctors surgery in Speen. I’m still registered in Lambourn because I couldn’t get a doctor here.
“And what about utilities? Where are we with electricity, gas supply and sewer supplies? There’s the risk of overbearing on our existing sewage network.
“We’re going to want a little shop, a school... And the traffic... if the developments go ahead the traffic will all come back through the Bath Road or the Lambourn Road.”
The sites that have been earmarked as preferred development sites in West Berkshire Council housing site allocations development plan document.
The Speen developments come on top of the revamp of part of Kersey Crescent, which recently had five blocks of flats demolished to make way for 78 new homes and which will provide 49 additional bedrooms which weren’t present at the site before.
Speen Parish Council is holding a meeting to hear residents’ views on the two sites tomorrow (Friday) at 7.00pm in the village hall.
This will be the final day of West Berkshire Council’s consultation into the site allocations plan for all sites in the district.
For more information visit the action group’s website or contact them by emailing speenactiongroup@gmail.com
