East Woodhay Parish Council and Highclere Parish Council object to 270-home Wash Water plans

Two village parish councils have raised their objections against plans to build 270 homes in Wash Water.

The original plans to build 350 homes were submitted by housing developer Bewley Homes last November, but they were updated in an attempt to address concerns over the controversial scheme.

The site for the Watermill Bridge development is split between the East Woodhay and Highclere parishes in Hampshire, and both parishes have reiterated their objections to the revised plans.

In its objection letter, East Woodhay Parish Council said: “The site is poorly related to the rest of the parish in respect of access to services, facilities and geography.

“There is little connectivity between Woolton Hill and the site. Residents of the new development would most likely have a greater affinity with Newbury and make only a limited, if any, contribution to the community life of the parish.

“The further submissions by the applicant have only sought to re-inforce this view, as they continue to focus on the relationship with Newbury.

Highclere Parish Council echoed this view in its letter, stating: “[The development] would have no association with the existing settlements of Woolton Hill and Highclere in terms of density, scale or form or physical connection.”

Both councils commented on the proposed development’s transport links, noting West Berkshire Council’s observation that Watermill Bridge residents would likely use cars to access nearby services due to the development’s proximity to Newbury, therefore not promoting sustainable modes of transport.

A bus service running from the development into Newbury has been described in the new plans, but East Woodhay Parish Council has taken issue with the lack of detail in which it is discussed.

“East Woodhay Parish Council, in the absence of the detail of the proposed public transport service and the uncertainty regarding its long-term future, maintains the position and objection that the site is not in a sustainable location,” it said.

Highclere Parish Council raised the issue that the revised plans focus on the development’s relationship with West Berkshire, rather than its relationship to the towns and villages of Hampshire.

It said: “The lack of any analysis of the site’s relationship with Highclere and the main settlement of Basingstoke illustrates the issue previously raised that any housing built here would do little to address the housing needs of the district within which it is located.”

Both councils also stated that the Watermill Bridge development is contrary to a number of policies contained within the East Woodhay Neighbourhood Plan.

Although the plan has not yet been approved, examiners from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are satisfied with its contents and have recommended it should proceed to referendum.