Highclere villagers raise concerns about housing development
Public exhibition unveils greenfield site proposals
HIGHCLERE villagers have raised concerns about a large housing development being proposed in the village.
A public exhibition on Monday, December 14, at Highclere Village Hall, revealed outline proposals for a 66-house development, on a large greenfield site in the village.
Developer Regis Homes had invited Highclere residents whose homes neighbour the site to view outline proposals for the development off the A343, on the site bordering the Andover Road and Westridge.
The 12.8-acre site, part of which runs behind the Red House pub, lies outside the village settlement policy boundary.
The outline proposals for 66 houses are a mix of semi-detached and detached, with the number of bedrooms undetermined.
Access to the site would be via a right turn lane priority T-junction to the A343.
Tubbs Lane resident of eight years, Jeremy Kirk, described the plans as a “very bad idea”.
He said: “The village hasn’t got enough infrastructure.
“It takes three weeks to get an appointment at Woolton Hill (GP) surgery.
“It’s [the site] a piece of farmland. It would be the thin end of the wedge and will set a precedent.”
Paul Bailes, of Westridge, said he was not opposed to house building in the village, but objected to the volume of houses proposed.
The father-of-one, whose safety concerns included traffic travelling at high speeds along the A343 through the village, said: “The traffic will be horrendous on the A343, both during construction and afterwards.”
A total of 171 responses were handed in at the exhibition, including “one or two positive comments” said consultant, David Edwards, of JPP, Pangbourne.
“There is a need for many people to get on the housing ladder.”
It had not been determined, he said, whether the development would be connected to village sewage systems, or instead be reliant on septic tanks.
“It’s very early days yet,” he added.
The developer was seeking suggestions for a community facility, offered as part of the proposals, such as allotments, or a community building. Suggestions had included a GP surgery, shop and post office, he said.
Comments received would be compiled into a statement of community engagement, as part of the planning application.
A further public consultation would be held in late January or early February (2016), on a Saturday morning, at the village hall, at a date to be confirmed.
The developer was also in the process of contacting Highclere Parish Council to request attendance at a future parish council meeting.
For more information contact consultant Mike Denness freephone 0800 1488911, email:info@meetingplacecommunications.com
