"Thatcham's infrastructure cannot cope with more homes"

Residents and town council express concerns that infrastructure cannot cope with proposed extra 225 homes

Thatcham Town Council and residents opposing scaled-down plans at Henwick Park say the infrastructure of Thatcham cannot cope with the extra number of houses.

Having had its plans for 265 homes turned down by West Berkshire Council last year, developer Croudace Strategic has submitted plans for 225 homes on the site to the west of Cold Ash Hill.

The developer is also appealing the council’s refusal of its original scheme.

Croudace’s new plans include provision for a doctor’s surgery and flood defences but that wasn’t enough to sway town councillors at a meeting last week.

Deputy leader Richard Crumley (Con, Thatcham Central) said that as the town council had objected in the past he couldn’t see how it could change its view this time around.

Steve Ardagh-Walter (Con, Thatcham West) said he was concerned about housing creep if permission for 225 homes was granted.

Henwick Park was not listed in West Berkshire Council’s preferred list of new housing sites.

Town council leader Jason Collis added that Henwick Park was surplus to requirements and Thatcham Flood Forum’s least attractive option for new housing.

Rob Denton-Powell (Con, Thatcham South and Crookham) agreed. He said: “As councillors, we thought long and hard about the plan and this sort of development is exactly what we want to avoid.

“The infrastructure of Thatcham cannot cope with this extra number of houses.”

Councillors’ views reflect the opinion of residents around the site.

Cold Ash resident Mrs G Gassor expressed her disappointment with the plans, saying that the amount of traffic on Bowling Green Road was making it a no-go area.

“The schools are full to bursting and school buses are being cut, putting more cars on the roads,” she said. “There will be no doctor’s surgery as there is no money to staff it.”

Northfield Road resident Peter Stanbrook said that Thatcham’s infrastructure would need reviewing, particularly the road network, before any new housing was built.

He said: “I have lived in the present location for over 75 years and have watched the aimless happenings in Thatcham over this time.

“I am not against developments, because we need them, but until the facilities are put in place I am against this development.”

Nicola Straffon said that Henwick Park would remove the green space between Cold Ash and Thatcham, leading to an amalgam of the two settlements.

“Far too many homes are proposed for an area where roads are already very busy. Similar proposals have been rejected in the last few years and I trust this one will be too, as it does not significantly differ from those made in the past,” she said.

To view the plans, visit West Berkshire Council’s planning website and search for 16/01508/OUTMAJ.