Three housing plans get council thumbs-down

First to be opposed by members of its planning and highways committee were proposals to erect three town houses and eight apartments at Dolmans, Shaw.
Jeff Beck (Con, Clay Hill) said: “There’s insufficient amenity space, there’s going to be an increase in traffic on Shaw Hill and also there’s overlooking from some of the proposed buildings to the properties to the east of the site.”
Fellow Clay Hill councillor Tony Stretton (Con) added further concerns on access and egress to the development.
Meanwhile, proposals for 72 flats to the rear of The Broadway, Newbury, were also objected to by councillors, who took the view that some of the studio and one-bedroom units were too small.
David Allen (Lib Dem, Victoria) said he had attended a tour of the site at the weekend, and was shocked to learn how small some of the units would be. He said: “Some of the flats are absolutely tiny. I think they have shoehorned in 72 flats. On the ground floor there were three that were like box rooms. That’s replicated throughout the site. I’m very worried that they would become almost ghettos very quickly.”
He credited the developer for dedicating 30 per cent of the development – 22 units – as affordable housing, however said he still felt the units were too small. He proposed objection to the development, a proposal which was supported by the majority of his colleagues.
Also objected to was a plan to convert an existing semi-detached, three-bedroom house in Valley Road into one ground floor and one first floor flat.
Decisions are expected from West Berkshire Council by March 28, May 13 and April 18 respectively.