Petition helps halt proposal for 90 new Thatcham homes
Resident power including a petition of more than 400 signatures and months of fighting helped to secure the refusal of the application by West Berkshire Council planners on 7.4 hectares of agricultural land to the east of Tull Way.
The residents, led by Lisa Burgess of Bowling Green Road, were protesting against the plans for several reasons.
These included the loss of a greenfield site, that there would be a reduction in the green gap between Newbury and Thatcham, the increased risk of flooding and the detrimental effect it would have on infrastructure, highway safety, noise and light pollution and traffic.
In total, the residents against the proposal collected about 423 signatures on the petition.
Planners agreed with the residents and refused the application because the site contributed to the rural character of this part of Thatcham, the details submitted had insufficient information to show that 90 homes could be sustained on the land in a satisfactory way, that the site had the potential to include heritage assets and that the application failed to demonstrate that the proposal could meet a high standard of environmental design and management.
After the decision was published, Ms Burgess said that she would continue to prepare a document for West Berkshire stating her case against the development, in case it was taken through to appeal.
She said: "I'm thrilled for now but I'm sure it will go to appeal.
"We don't want to lose the field.
"Thatcham cannot take on anymore development.
"There's a lovely rural feel around here."
Ward member, Keith Woodhams (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), said: "I am delighted that this planning application for 90 homes off Tull Way has been refused by our officers.
"This is a Greenfield site which we need to protect from development.
"The views across the farmland to the rolling hills are outstanding and retain a green lung between Thatcham and Newbury.”
He added: "The petition organiser has campaigned tirelessly to keep this land from being developed.
"If allowed, the 90 new homes would also increase the pressure on an already overloaded infrastructure including schools, doctors, dentists and the road network.”