Thatcham housing appeals date announced

More than 700 homes could be built around the town

A DECISION on whether more than 700 homes will be built on Thatcham’s outskirts will be made by this summer.

Developer A2Dominion is looking to build up to 495 homes and a primary school at Siege Cross Farm, north of the A4 and east of Floral Way (preview picture)

Croudace wants to build 225 homes at Henwick Park, to the west of Cold Ash Hill and north of Heath Lane (pictured above).

The developer has also said that there is provision for a GP surgery on the site.

West Berkshire Council fought planning appeals in November when the developers said that the local authority was in denial over its out-of-date housing figures.

The council said that Thatcham needed time to allow for infrastructure to catch up after witnessing considerable growth in recent decades.

On Siege Cross, the council argued that the substantial development was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The inquiry heard that four of the council’s five reasons for objecting to Henwick Park had either been dropped or could be met by a planning condition.

The move means that the fate of Henwick Park rests on the council’s claim that it can demonstrate a five-year housing supply.

Since the Thatcham appeals, up to 401 homes are to be built around Vodafone’s HQ after the council lost a planning appeal last month.

The Planning Inspectorate said that delays to the 2,000-home development at Sandleford Park had led the council’s housing supply to fall short.

But it added that the 400 homes at Shaw-cum-Donnington would enable the council to demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land.

The Planning Inspectorate has said that a decision on the two Thatcham appeals will be made on or before Thursday, July 6.