Tadley & District History Society concerned that proposed 260-home Bewley Homes site could contain Roman ruins
The Tadley and District History Society has concerns that a proposed site for 260 homes south of the town may contain historically significant Roman ruins.
Last month, Bewley Homes revealed its plans to prepare an outline planning application for the homes on land off Skates Lane, 40 per cent of which would be affordable.
In response, the local history group has suggested the land be properly excavated in case anything of heritage importance is beneath the site.
Chairman Carol Stevens said: “Tadley and District Historical Society would like to make people aware of the existence of a Roman road known as The Portway which is believed to pass through the site at Skates Lane.
“In the past few weeks since the plans were made public it has become very apparent that few people know of the existence of this important road which ran from Calleva Atrebatum [Silchester] to Old Sarum [near Salisbury] and has been clearly marked on the OS map of Tadley since the 1890s with areas of agger visible within the proposed site.”
An agger is an ancient Roman linear mound or embankment, commonly used in British archaeology to describe the ridge or embankment on which Roman roads were built.
Mrs Stevens continued: “The society aim to raise awareness of this important archaeological site which could reveal not just the road but other associated features, including burials and shrines.
“It is not our intention to use this as an objection to the build plan but welcome it as an opportunity to conduct a thorough archaeological exploration of the site.”
The Tadley and District History Society aren’t the only ones with concerns about the Skates Lane plans.
Several Tadley residents have been voicing their opinions online, with many believing that the large housing development would put a strain on local infrastructure if built.
One commented on Facebook: “It shouldn’t go ahead as the infrastructure is not there to cope with the demand. Doctors, dentists, schools and the hospital are currently at bursting point.”
Another said: “Tadley is being suffocated.”
Someone else commented: “Give us another school and another doctors surgery then build the b****y houses.”
Other residents have taken issue with the Skates Lane site itself.
One said: “It’s the area that they are being built that’s the problem. I walk up to Church Road everyday and through the footpath and it’s an absolutely stunning area which is rich in flora and fauna.”
Bewley Home’s plans for Skates Lane can be viewed on their website at https://bewleyinbasingstoke.co.uk/skates-lane/
It is not yet known when Bewley will submit an offifical planning application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
