Residents objections to Kintbury homes plan
Major concerns over infrastructure
PLANS to build 72 homes in Kintbury have been met with more than 60 objections from residents and the parish council.
Cambridge-based property developer Endurance Estates has put in an official application to West Berkshire Council, stating its desire to build the new dwellings on a 3.1-hectare piece of land north of Irish Hill Road.
The parcel of agricultural land, situated on the northern edge of the village, is set in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
At a Kintbury Parish Council meeting last week, which was attended by more than 60 people, residents voiced their concerns about the plans.
Many of the these centred around the lack of infrastructure in the village and the impact on the surrounding area.
If plans are approved, vehicle and pedestrian access to the proposed development is to be provided by a new junction on Newbury Street, some 60m west of the mini-roundabout junction with Burton’s Hill.
West Berkshire Council’s highways team has also expressed concern about how the current infrastructure would cope with a development of that size.
Council highways development control officer Bob Turner said that he was aware of local opposition on the basis of inadequate carriageway width along Newbury Street.
He said that a drawing of the plan showed that there several sections of the road where to vehicles would be unable to pass.
“I have concerns the additional traffic generated by the proposals could result in an increased risk of conflicts, including side-swipes,” said Mr Turner.
During last week’s Kintbury Parish Council meeting, district councillor and Kintbury resident Anthony Stansfeld said he was confident the plans would not be approved as they fell outside West Berkshire Council’s housing plan.
He said: “These 72 houses are way outside the West Berkshire agreed plan.
“It doesn’t fall within it at all.
“I would be absolutely staggered if West Berkshire planning went along with this.
“I don’t think it would go to a planning committee because it would be refused before it ever gets there.
“The developer will undoubtedly take it to appeal, then it is outside the hands of West Berkshire Council, but practically every big plan outside the DPD [Development Plan Document] has been turned down on appeal.
“I think we have a pretty good case right across the board that West Berkshire Council will take against the development and I am confident about that.
“It would be an extremely brave planning officer to go against the government-agreed district plan for West Berkshire.
“I’m reasonably confident but you never know with these things, so we just have to be very careful.”
Kintbury Parish Council chairman Stephen Cook said: “From a parish council point of view, we do not think it is viable and we do not want to see that number of new houses in Kintbury.
“We know that the roads cannot cope with it and we are the ones who will have to deal with the aftermath.
“It can only be punishment for Kintbury and I cannot see any gain for us whatsoever.
“It would be devastating for the village and would, I feel, have an adverse effect
