Villagers urged to voice opposition
Letter asks residents to object to housing plans in Pamber Heath
A COMMUNITY group has urged Pamber Heath residents to express their objections to two planning applications at the parish council meeting on Monday.
A letter was dropped into every home in the village, urging residents to attend the meeting to object against one proposal for 55 houses on land near Pelican Road and a further proposal for 12 houses at Pamber Heath Road.
The anonymous letter, from “a group of us that are opposing the development of land on Pamber Heath Road”, said: “Let’s stand together as a community to oppose both proposals to keep Pamber Heath as it is.
“We want as many people as possible to write, email or comment on both of the above applications.”
The application for 55 houses on land at Pelican Road is a reduction of an earlier application for 64 houses – 40 per cent of which will be affordable housing.
The other proposal, for 12 affordable houses on land at Pamber Heath Road, has the full support of Pamber Heath Parish Council.
Parish clerk Leonie Browne wrote in a letter to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council: “For some years Pamber Parish Council, with the support of HARAH [Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing], have been trying to identify a suitable site for the building of affordable housing for local people.
“The council appreciates that the land outlined in this proposal would not normally be considered for development, but urges the planning department to accept that this is a Rural Exception Site, particularly as there is no other suitable site within the parish.”
To date, there have been 59 letters of objection to the Pamber Heath Road proposal, with a decision still pending.
The Pelican Road site – the larger of the proposed developments – had originally been identified by the parish council as one of, if not the, most appropriate sites for housing development on the edge of Tadley in the early preparation of its Local Plan.
To date, 24 objections have been received by West Berkshire Council regarding this application.
A decision will be made on November 15.
