Burghfield Common reacts to controversial café approval, some ‘delighted’ while others having ‘sleepless nights’

Burghfield Common residents have reacted to West Berkshire Council’s decision to approve controversial plans for a café to be built on the village’s recreation ground, going against the planning officers’ recommendation to refuse it.

On Wednesday, July 13 the plans were put forward to the Eastern Area Planning Committee, who unanimously voted to approve the construction of a temporary café located between the recreation ground’s children’s play area and sports pavilion.

However, members of the Burghfield Common Residents Group sought government intervention and wrote to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, meaning the minister has 21 days to either overrule or go along with the committee’s decision.

A key issue that was debated was the café’s location within AWE’s DEPZ (detailed emergency planning zone) with planning officers’ stating the structure of the building would not sustain enough protection in the event of an incident at the nearby nuclear bomb factory.

Councillors decided to approve the plans despite this, meaning the Office for Nuclear Regulation will also have to have a say on the plan.

Burghfield Parish Council chairman Tim Ansell, who was present at the committee meeting to voice his support for the plans, said: “To get a unanimous result was very pleasant.

“I was delighted with the council’s debate and they raised the point that was concerning many of us on the parish council most of all and that was around the rules of the DPEZ.

“A café we see is obviously a good idea, but the restriction the DPEZ is placing on things is a concern to West Berkshire Council, but also Burghfield.”

Steph Awbery, a Burghfield Common resident who spoke against the plans at the meeting, said she was disappointed with the committee’s decision.

In response to the council going against the ONR’s recommendations, she said: “They’ve totally ignored the safety of the parishioners.”

She also thinks that the café will increase the presence of anti-social behaviour in the village.

“You’re going to have gangs meeting up there,” she said.

“It will be a meeting place for the youngsters, and sometimes the wrong youngsters.”

Councillor Graham Bridgman (Con, Burghfield & Mortimer) was pleased that the issue surrounding the ONR objection and the relationship of the proposed café site to the DPEZ received a proper discussion at committee, something he saw as the plan’s only major concern.

He said in response to the ONR’s concerns about the café’s lack of proper protection in the face of a nuclear event: “If this application hadn’t gone through, anyone could sit out on that park having a cup of tea. Then what happens?”

He also referred to the highways comments, which saw no issue with the development going ahead and raised no objections

He said: “Who says anyone is going to park on a double yellow line?

“If they do, that’s what traffic enforcement is there for.

“There are already traffic restrictions around that site.”

Another Burghfield Common resident who is against the café plans believed that delivery vehicles will increase traffic around the recreation ground making it unsafe for locals.

She said: “I don’t want a café on the rec, but I am more worried about the children and the parishioners on that bend.

“It gives me sleepless nights.”

She and her husband are now considering moving because of the café development.

“It is criminal that we are being forced out of our beautiful home of 40 years because of the actions of others,” she said.