500-home development back on cards for Siegecross site

People were given their chance to have a say on the outline plan by A2Dominion New Homes at an exhibition on Thursday.
The site – on land north of the A4, which currently accommodates Siege Cross Farm – could see up to 500 new homes built, as well as a community building, primary school and play areas.
Although no planning application has been submitted, A2 said that the existing listed buildings would be retained as part of the development.
The planning director at A2, David Price, said that people's views had been sought about 18 months ago and this was a further opportunity to gauge reaction as the plan had developed.
He said: "We have been asking them what their concerns are and what they would like to see from the development.
"We are just showing people more detail and asking them questions about that, especially the community building and what should be put in there.”
Thatcham resident Paul Roberts said that he wondered how many children would be living in the 500 households and questioned where older pupils would go to school, as currently Thatcham has only one state-run secondary, Kennet School.
Another resident, Robert Ridgley, said that he believed the development was a good idea and that these plans were the best he had seen for this site.
He said: “I do feel it needs a doctors’ surgery as our surgery is pretty subscribed and the area is getting bigger.”
He said that his big concern was traffic on Floral Way, which was already heavy during peak times, and that the road layout for Pipers Way needed to be revised.
Karen Bond, who lives in Windsor but is planning a move to Thatcham, said she liked the look of the development.
“It's going to be a community, not just a bunch of houses,” she said. “There's plenty of green land so it's not going to feel enclosed, and 500 is not a mega amount of housing.”
Mr Price said that the planning situation in the area had been static for a while but that A2 was expecting this to change soon, and could be ready to submit a planning application to West Berkshire Council by the summer.

• What are your views on the latest plan? Email tanya.haji@newburynews.co.uk, tweet @tanyah_nwn or join the debate online at newburytoday.co.uk