Plans for first phase of Sandleford development stall

PLANS for the first phase of development at Sandleford – the single largest planning application in West Berkshire’s history – have stalled as the first planning application has been delayed until the summer.

Bloor Homes, which is seeking to build 2,000 houses in an area to the south of Newbury, said it would not be able to submit the formal, detailed application for the first phase by the end of April as originally intended.

Speaking at a Greenham Parish Council meeting on Wednesday, Giuseppe Zanre of the housing developer said: “Because of the relationship between Donnington and Bloor we won’t advance it this month and it will probably be in the summer now.

“Rather than give you a specific month it is going to be summer, but there’s a lot of work to be done before that.”

Last month West Berkshire Council ruled that Donnington Homes and the landowners that form the Sandleford Partnership must submit one unified planning application and not multiple, piecemeal applications.

The partnership, which owns around two thirds of the site, warned that this would delay the application due to ongoing negotiations between the landowners and Mark Norgate, managing director of Donnington Homes.

Bloor managing director Daniel Hayman told the he could not confirm the exact date but said it would most likely be in the early summer.

More than 300 people turned up to the first public meeting at Newbury Rugby Club in February where the developers outlined plans for the site, and said they would submit both an outline application for the entire area and a detailed application for the first phase by the end of April.

The first phase concerns the development on the northern edge of the site, near to Monks Lane, which is to include two accesses.

The western access – nearest to the rugby club – will be in the form of a roundabout, while the eastern access, located between the rugby club and Newbury College, will be in the form of a T-junction.

The first phase also includes one of the two proposed new primary schools for the major development.

Peter Norman, a member of campaign group Say No to Sandleford, said in response to the delay: “I think it is a concern.

“I think that having got the approval, the council and landowners are now all a little at odds as to exactly what they should be doing, which is to the detriment of the community.

“We won’t get the schools or the roads or the hospitals in place as well as the local amenities, so it is a concern.”

Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem, Greenham) said: “I’m still very unhappy about the development, but since it’s now inevitable, it’s important to do it right, not fast.

“That means the developers work together with the council and the community for the benefit of Greenham and Newbury residents, both current and future.

“A few months’ delay means a much better chance of that happening.”

He added: “Local people still have a lot of fears about excessive traffic and lack of infrastructure, and I will continue to press the developers and the council to deal with these crucial issues in the planning application when it finally appears.”

Mr Zanre of Bloor Homes later said: “We’re keen to make sure that the planning applications, when submitted, are robust and cover all of the issues identified by West Berkshire Council in their Adopted SDP for the Sandleford Park development.

“We will, of course, have a further public exhibition before submitting the applications and we’ll let local residents know about that closer to the time, details of which will be on the website (Bloor Homes).”