Sandleford development will 'bring Newbury to a halt'

Campaigner warns council about impact of town's largest ever planning application

NEWBURY will grind to a halt following the 2,000-home Sandleford Park development unless there is a major rethink of the town’s infrastructure.

That was the warning from Wash Common resident and “Say No to Sandleford” campaigner Peter Norman after the full planning application was made available to the public for the first time.

In a scathing attack, Mr Norman also accused West Berkshire Council of having a “lack of common sense” and not doing enough to protect residents and schoolchildren.

Developer Bloor Homes says in its application that a series of short filter lanes at some of the town’s busiest roundabouts and junctions is sufficient mitigation to cope with the extra traffic.

In a transport assessment submitted as part of the application, it adds: “In conclusion, there are no highways and transport reasons as to why the proposed development should not be approved.”

Mr Norman, who stood as an Apolitical Democrat candidate at this year’s general and local elections, said: “This is largest development Newbury has ever seen.

“Tweaking a few junctions at a time where the council is proposing to cut bus services seems remarkable. Any hope that the development will be effectively served by public transport will be blown out of the water if the council’s cuts go ahead.

“It is not hard for anyone with an ounce of common sense to see Newbury is going to grind to a complete halt.

“The development is inevitable, unfortunately. We are not going to be able to stop it, but it is a shame that the council has not been bolder in its decisions for what the town needs.

“We need an Eastern ring road or bypass so that traffic that doesn’t need to go through Newbury doesn’t have to.

“It is the residents of Wash Common and Newbury who are going to have to live with the consequences.”

The application for Sandleford includes proposals for four separate acess routes into the site for through traffic including two from Monks Lane, one from the A339 near the council waste and recycling centre and another from Warren Road.

Mr Norman added: “Warren Road may facilitate the development but puts an awful lot of stress on an area that sees hundreds of schoolchildren crossing every day.

“It’s amazing that no one has been seriously hurt yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

“Roads like Warren Road were never designed for the amount of traffic that will be using it.”