Thatcham and Cold Ash lodge responses to 2,770 homes proposed under West Berkshire Local Plan

Town and parish councils have lodged their responses to the proposed main modifications to the district Local Plan for review.

Towns and parishes fought hard to reduce the number of additional homes around Thatcham to 1,500, before this number was bumped back up to 2,500 under Labour’s planned building spree to fix the country’s ‘housing crisis’.

But they still aren’t backing down.

Speaking at Thatcham’s full council meeting last Monday (January 27), West Berkshire Council leader Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said: “This council cannot stop the new town in Thatcham North East.

“But I can promise the people of Thatcham and West Berkshire, you may not be able to stop it here (Thatcham), but we’re still trying to stop it in West Berkshire and we won’t stop trying to stop it as well until we are forced to take it.”

TTC’s response highlights the areas where it believes the preparation, consultation and other areas in the plans have fallen short – and where it has made corrections to documents.

Chairman of planning and highways Simon Pike (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), who has represented TTC through the process, said: “I suggest that a third option of 1,760 homes should be considered, because that would deliver the housing allocation required within the period of the Local Plan.

“The comment we made about North East Thatcham was to strengthen the long-term security of the country park that is proposed.

“I've now proposed the same wording be applied to the two sites around the Regency Park Hotel.”

Concerns have previously been raised about flood risks, sewage network capacity and the lack of safe travel routes for schoolchildren associated with the development sites, near an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Cold Ash Parish Council said the plans threatened the distinct identities of surrounding villages and felt its own Neighbourhood Development Plan was being undermined.

Within its response, it suggested opportunities for “meaningful community engagement” had been missed and that the two extra housing sites at Henwick Park and Regency Park had been included “without robust evidence.”

It added there had been a lack of community consultation about suitable alternative sites for development and on extending the Local Plan Review timeline.

The Planning Inspector will consider all representations before finalising and issuing his examination report.