Major Tadley housing scheme gets go-ahead

Government rejects planning inspector's recommendation over future development next to nuclear weapons site

THE GOVERNMENT has rejected a planning inspector's recommendation to refuse planning permission for a controversial major housing development in Tadley, adjacent to a nuclear weapons site, following a public inquiry last year.

In March last year, the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, directed that the application by Cala Homes to develop the Boundary Hall site, demolishing the existing hall, relocating the the existing substation and redeveloping the land to provide almost 1,000 square metres of commercial space, 115 properties, new public open space, car parking, new footpaths, landscaping, two new access roads off Almswood Road and improvements to the existing access point off Aldermaston Road, be referred to him instead of being dealt with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council after various health and safety concerns were raised about the application.

A public inquiry, led by Inspector Philip Ware, also took place for 14 days between October last year and January this year, and the inspector's recommendations were subsequently submitted to Mr Pickles' department.

The site lies 500 metres from the boundary of the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)in Aldermaston, which provides and maintains warheads for Britain's nuclear deterrent, Trident.

Ahead of the public inquiry, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) had claimed that population level within the inner Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ), the area within a 3km distance from the AWE, was already at maximum limits and additional housing could prevent the area from being easily evacuated in the event of a nuclear incident and affect the speed at which emergency services could be deployed.

These concerns led Mr Ware to recommend that the proposals for development be refused, but yesterday (Thursday) Mr Pickles announced that planning permission should be granted.

He said the decision had been made on the grounds that the chance of any nuclear incident occurring at the site was an “extremely remote possibility” and that this remote risk was outweighed by other considerations, such as the need for increased housing (including affordable housing), employment opportunities and improvement of the site.

However, Mr Pickles acknowledged that some weight should be given to the potential for a “reasonably foreseeable” emergency at AWE, and that if such an event were to occur, the potential for those on the site to receive a harmful dose of radiation was “an important consideration.”

Among those relieved at the government's decision will be Tadley scout group leader, Brian Spray, with a developers' contribution of £121,125 towards a new scout building in the offing.

Former mayor, Margaret Weston, who is in her 80s and has lived in Silchester Road for almost 60 years, close to AWE's main gate, previously said she had only witnessed “minor” incidents at AWE and urged for the houses to be built.

Conservative MPs Richard Benyon, for Newbury, and Sir George Young, for North West Hampshire, both previously wrote to the inspector in support of the housing proposals.

Sir George said the site was “an eyesore,” and Mr Benyon said AWE was highly regulated, with no nuclear reactor at the site.