Parish meeting for Speen housing sites to be held in September

Speen Parish Council has called the meeting, on Friday, September 12, to hear the concerns of local residents on the sites put forward by West Berkshire Council in its Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document.
District councillors voted for the document to go out to public consultation in July.
However, the timing of the parish council’s meeting has been criticised by local residents as it falls on the final day of the deadline, leaving no time for the views put forward to be considered.
If approved, up to 160 homes could be built in the parish on land between the A4, Station Road and Lambourn Road (pictured). This site faced heavy opposition from plot owners at the existing allotments who would be required to move to a new purpose-built plot as a result.
In addition, a second site just outside of the parish boundary, on land between Hill Road and Speen Lane, could also be developed to provide for 40 houses.
The meeting will be held at 7pm at Speen Village Hall.
Parish council chairwoman, Caroline Holbrook, said: “Residents are warmly encouraged to attend as, even though they may not be directly affected by the proposed housing, the traffic implications will impact upon everyone in the parish.”
Thames Water has agreed to attend, while Newbury MP Richard Benyon and representatives of Benham Estates have also been invited. No representatives from West Berkshire Council are available to attend.