Lakeside homes scheme for Theale rejected

The plans, submitted by Central Corporation Securities Ltd, sought to build two five-bedroom, five four-bedroom and one three-bedroom homes on vacant land at the head of St Ives Close, Theale.
Access to the site was proposed via an extension of St Ives Close, with the applicant stating that the level of traffic generated would not see a significant increase so there would be no adverse impact on local roads.
The proposal also included the construction of a boardwalk on the edge of the lake to the rear of the development.
Residents and the parish council, while not objecting to the housing development, raised concerns over access, construction traffic, road safety and the position of one of the properties.
At a recent meeting of Theale Parish Council one St Ives Close resident said, “one seems to take their lives in their hands when they come out that close with the amount of cars doubled parked.”
And another resident said that construction traffic would have to go through a different access point rather than using the close.
He said: “If you come face-to-face with a lorry coming down St Ives Close it’s not an issue it’s downright dangerous.”
Meanwhile, neighbouring Volunteer Road resident Sylvia Fowler said that the positioning of one property, referred to as plot eight, would have an unacceptable impact on her property as it would be overlooked and that side windows would look directly into her garden.
Parish councillors objected to the plans on the grounds of access, traffic and highway safety, boardwalk safety and the position of plot eight, while district councillor Alan Macro asked for highways improvements to be carried out before construction began as a condition for the development.
West Berkshire Council planners rejected the application on the grounds that the site was outside Theale’s settlement boundary, something Mr Macro said he was surprised at as the site is also adjacent to the North Lakeside site that has planning permission for 350 homes.
Planners added that the development was considered to result in a harmful impact on the amenity of a number of neighbouring properties and that the development would result in an increased use of St Ives Close, which would adversely affect road safety and the flow of traffic.
Furthermore, planners said that the proposal failed to provide an appropriate scheme of works for off-site mitigation measures to accommodate the impact of the development on local infrastructure, services or amenities and failed to make a contribution towards meeting a need for affordable housing.