Lib Dems voice concerns over Sandleford development

The opposition party at West Berkshire Council has submitted a formal response to plans for 2,000 new homes at Sandleford Park, south Newbury, following a six-week public consultation which ended last week.
The first 1,000 homes, predominantly three to five-bedroom houses, are to be completed by 2026. However the Liberal Democrats are uneasy over how much influence the landowners, including Delia Norgate, widow of John Norgate, founder of Trencherwood Homes’, Cirencester man Nicholas Laing, Noel Gibbs from Cheltenham, Lady Ana Wyndham-Quin from County Limerick in Ireland and Irish company Faria Limited, would have on the development.
In the six-page document, the Liberal Democrats raised particular concerns over the access roads for the park.
The group suggested additional access points to those proposed off Monks Lane should be explored, including from the A339 and existing roads accessing Newbury College and Newbury Rugby Club.
The group says that the suggested access roads would reduce rat-running on already busy suburban roads in south Newbury and adds that it is concerned that landowners could refuse permission to sell the extra land needed for the roads.
As a consequence, the Liberal Democrats are urging the council to consider the compulsary purchase of any extra land to improve community benefit and not to constrain the development simply because of land ownership.
The shadow portfolio holder for planning and housing at the council, Tony Vickers (Lib Dem, Northcroft) said: “We seem to be writing our policy around what suits the land owner, particularly with road access.
“I think this is wrong and puts all the cards in the hands of the land owner and very little in the hands of the council, it’s not likely to produce the best outcome in terms of the community.”
Regular buses to Newbury station and major employment areas such as the town centre should also be provided, the Liberal Democrats said.
Mr Vickers added some community facilities, with a retail outlet and up to two new primary schools among those proposed, should be finished in time for the completion of the first houses to allow residents to meet and socialise within their new community.
A review of parish boundaries has also been called for, with 60 per cent of the houses falling into Greenham parish and the remaining 40 per cent into Newbury.
The Liberal Democrats suggested the development should fall into one parish, or a new Sandleford parish be created.
The chairman of West Berkshire Council, Keith Chopping (Con, Sulhamstead) said he was pleased the opposition group had responded to the consultation.
He said: “It was the right thing for the Liberals to do, they had views about Sandleford and put them through as a response.”
The group’s views will be considered along with responses from members of the public.
A spokesman for West Berkshire Council, Keith Ulyatt, said that it was not yet known how many responses had been received, but each would be analysed to see if any changes needed to be made to the draft plans.
Final plans would then be drawn up and approved at a full council meeting, at a date yet to be confirmed.
Mr Ulyatt said it was not known when developers would submit a formal planning application.