The future of Sandleford Park is up to you, says council

West Berkshire Council wants to build up to 2,000 homes on the greenfield site (pictured), with the first 1,000 properties expected to be built before 2026.
Sandleford, which was the inspiration for Richard Adam’s classic novel, Watership Down, forms part of the council’s core strategy, a planning document which includes proposals to build at least 10,500 new homes in the district by 2026.
Members of the public will now get their chance to tell the landowners and council what they would like to see on the site, from schools and community halls to playgrounds, at a drop-in event at Newbury Rugby Club, Monks Lane, between 2pm and 8pm on October 25.
The council has promised these views will form the masterplan for Sandleford, which is owned by Delia Norgate, widow of the founder of Trencherwood Homes’ plans, John Norgate, Cirencester man Nicholas Laing, Noel Gibbs from Cheltenham, Lady Ana Wyndham-Quin from County Limerick in Ireland, and an Irish company called Faria Limited.
West Berkshire's executive councillor for planning, Keith Chopping said: “Detailed plans including proposals for new homes, infrastructure, schools, community facilities and a country park are being worked up and it is at this stage that the views of local people are vital.
"This event is an opportunity for local people to be involved with the masterplanning of this project.”
Spokeswoman for West Berkshire Council, Peta Stoddart-Crompton said the site’s promoters and councillors will be available to answer questions at the event.
She added: “This early consultation will feed into a masterplan/development brief for the site. The brief will be adopted by the council is early 2013, with a planning application following at some point after this.”
Meanwhile Peter Norman, spokesman for sayNOtoSandleford campaign group, which has opposed any development of Sandleford, said: “We welcome consultations as long as the council is in genuine listening mode. In particular we hope that the council will take into consideration the considerable concerns we have about ensuring that the infrastructure is more than adequate to cope with this scale of development, alongside that of the racecourse [where 1,500 homes are being built].
“Also we will be looking to ensure that the promises made during the ratification process of the core strategy, such as preserving a part of Sandleford in perpetuity as parkland for the town, are adhered to.
“Moreover we will be looking at how the commitment to 40 per cent affordable housing will be delivered in practice to avoid the development of a social ghetto at the end of a cul-de-sac, and in particular the quality of housing build to deliver on this number.”
The council’s core strategy is currently being challenged by developers, Henry Davidson Developments Burghfield Common Limited, through the High Court.