Sandleford application is available to view - just in time for Christmas
But hurry, you have less than a month to have your say on Newbury's largest ever housing development
AFTER years of waiting, the full planning application for West Berkshire’s largest housing development yet is available for the public to see and comment on – but hurry, you’ve got less than 30 days to have your say on how you’ll be affected.
Two applications for Sandleford Park, Newbury, have been submitted by developer Bloor Homes Southern – one a hybrid outline application for the entire site for up to 2,000 homes, 40 per cent of which will be affordable, and a more detailed ‘first phase’ application for 337 homes.
The plans were submitted by the developer on September 4 but the council has taken almost three months to register it as a valid application – meaning the deadline for comments will be over the busy Christmas period.
The council says the site notices will be put up within the next week and the public will have 21 days from then to register their comments.
It has led to fierce criticism from one campaigner, Peter Norman.
Mr Norman said: “The run-up to Christmas is not brilliant timing and does beg the question as to why the validation of the application took so long and why it should be ready now when people’s time will be stretched. There does seem to be a pattern emerging.”
Sandleford plans include proposals for four new access roads for through traffic, two new two-form entry primary schools, mitigation measures and a 215-acre country park.
The proposed roads include two off Monks Lane, one from the A339 Newtown Road by the recycling centre and another from Warren Road. Another emergency access route will be via Kendrick Road.
The two roads from Monks Lane will be in the form of a roundabout and a T-junction, while the access on to the A339 will be via a three-arm traffic light-controlled junction.
However, the accesses from the A339 and Warren Road are both dependent on discussions taking place between developers and third party landowners.
To provide a suitable access from Warren Road, developer Donnington New Homes will have to acquire land from third party owners as well as a section of land from Park House School. The access from the A339 is subject to discussions between the landowner – Newbury College – and West Berkshire Council.
In its application, Bloor Homes says: “The full Sandleford Park development can be delivered with either a four- access or a two-access strategy without a severe residual cumulative impact on the transport network.”
A series of short filter lanes at some of the town’s busiest roundabouts and junctions are being proposed as a form of mitigation.
In a 3,000-page transport assessment submitted as part of the application, it insists the improvements will be enough to cope with the extra traffic generated by the development.
It says: “While it is clear that the proposed development would have an impact on the local highway network, it is also clear that with the proposed junction improvement schemes that these impacts can be mitigated with betterment being achieved at many junctions when compared to the Do Nothing situation.
“In conclusion, there are no highways and transport reasons as to why the proposed development should not be approved.”
To view the planning application, visit http://publicaccess.westberks.gov.uk/online-applications/
Then type in 15/02300/OUTMAJ as the reference.
Hard copies of the application will be available from the West Berkshire Council offices in Market Street.
For more reaction, see this week's Newbury Weekly News.