Plans for new pub in Tadley are refused
Loss of trees one of keys reasons application is rejected
THE application for a new pub and restaurant on Three Corner Plantation, Tadley, has been refused by West Berkshire Council (WBC).
The decision report states: “The proposed development will result in the clearance of a large area of the Three Corner Plantation which consists of a mature woodland of trees within a traffic island along the A340 in Aldermaston.
“Policy CS18 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy encourages the retention of valued green infrastructure which contribute to the character of the landscape and the area.
“The NPPF states that planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss of aged or veteran trees, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.”
The second reason for refusal follows an objection received from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the safety regulator for the civil nuclear industry in the UK, due to the site’s close proximity to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE).
The ONR wrote in its objection: “ONR has been notified by MOD [Ministry of Defence] about a planning application immediately adjacent to the AWE Aldermaston site, which we don’t appear to have been consulted on.
“Due to the scale and location of the proposed development, ONR advise against this application unless the emergency planners at West Berkshire Council … are consulted with regard to this application and that they subsequently provide written confirmation that, in their opinion, the proposed development can be accommodated within their existing off-site emergency planning arrangements (or an amended version of it).”
WBC said in its decision report: “The site includes restaurant, public house and a flat (dwelling) all of which increase the number of people adjacent to the AWE site which would need support in the immediate response phase resulting in additional resources being diverted to this location, which will impact on the overall response.
“All the above would result in an impact on the AWE Off-Site Emergency Plan, the responders and potentially the health and wellbeing of those on the site.
“The Office of Nuclear Regulation and the council’s Emergency Planning Unit both advise against the proposed development.”
The proposal from Marstons was for a 150-cover restaurant/pub and a three-bedroomed manager’s flat on the Three Corner Plantation.
It had received numerous letters of objection to the council, although comments on social media were more in favour of the proposal.
