Pamber housing plan resubmitted

Council to consider new application for 55-home development

REVISED plans for a new housing development in Pamber Heath have been submitted.

The previous application, for 64 dwellings on land to the north of Pelican Road, was refused earlier this month.

A new application for 55 homes, ranging from one-bed flats to four-bedroom houses has now gone in.

The new application is made by the site owner, John Hill, on behalf of The Hill Trust.

A design and access statement, submitted with the application, said: “The number of units has been reduced from 64 to 55 – with four one- to two-bed flats and five three-bed houses being omitted in order to address the principal issues of proximity to retained trees along the southern boundary and the physical/visual relationship between the main access and the recreational area to the north west.”

The site had originally been identified by the council as one of, if not the, most appropriate sites for housing development on the edge of Tadley in the early preparation of its Local Plan.

The land utilised sites cross-border in both Hampshire and West Berkshire.

The proposals state that 40 per cent of the houses would be “affordable” with five one-bed flats, six two-bed flats, four two-bed houses, four three-bed houses and three four-bed houses.

The application states that 70 per cent of these will be rented at market value and 30 per cent will be “intermediate” – meaning the rent is between social housing rent and market value.

These will be evenly distributed across the site.

A design and access statement accompanying the original application said: “The proposed development proposes a significant community gain in the form of the funding of an artificial floodlit training pitch at Barlows Park Community Football Complex [which is close to the application site].

“This level of financial support will make a major contribution towards delivering this facility in the near future and, given the existing quality of the infrastructure at Barlows Park, may even fund it in full.”

However, there was an objection to this proposal which stated: “This is not particularly relevant to Pamber Heath – the area that will be affected by this development – which has its own requirements that need addressing.

“The local parish council meets alternately in Pamber Heath and Silchester.

“The latter venue is becoming less suitable with every passing day, requiring either a major refurbishment or, better still, complete replacement.

“The tennis courts behind the Pamber Heath community hall are poorly utilised, but require significant investment to retain their usability.

“Alternatively, money could be invested in redeveloping the hall and surrounding site to reflect modern needs better.”

The amended application is currently with West Berkshire Council awaiting a decision.