The plan to build hundreds of homes Hayley Green in Warfield has been given the go ahead.
The green space in north-east Bracknell has been earmarked for 235 new houses to be built by developers Boyer.
The planning committee of Bracknell Forest Council was asked to decide how residents will access 235 homes between Hayley Green Road and Winkfield Lane – to the west of the Cricketers pub and to the south of the former site of Warfield Primary School.
Councillors debated the application for four hours in January but they played for time, then considered it for another three hours last week.
Politicians were unsatisfied with the so-called ‘master plan’ for Hayley Green – previously displayed for residents in the Brownlow Hall – and wanted it to be scrutinised some more.
Cllr Gareth Barnard asked: “What input was there from anyone apart from officers to come up with the Master Plan which is now being considered the gold standard for this?”
Cllr Tony Virgo said: “There will be so much traffic coming and going, and the car park won’t suffice because there’s more numbers of cars than there is spaces in the car park.”
This time the meeting went on so long that one of the councillors felt unwell and the meeting had to be adjourned.
The developers have proposed to provide access to new houses via a staggered junction to the east of Malt Hill and the current Hayley Green Crossroads on the Bracknell Road – an accident hotspot – and from Forest Road, East of the junction with Cricketers Lane. There would also be a single cycle path.
Cllr Tony Virgo told the committee that the width of access points planned were very tight, and if there were lots of cars nearby then emergency vehicles at speed wouldn’t find it easy to reach the new development fast enough.
He wanted to consult the fire service to make sure that these access points would have enough room for emergency vehicles, however professional planners reassured politicians that there would be sufficient access for fire engines.
Further allong in the application process the fire service will be consulted again.
Cllr Virgo said: “The thing that concerns me, actually, is like Thames Water, they’re actually useless, to he honest, so let me just say that.
“The whole point is, these organisations don’t have the time and the staff to do everything, so unfortunately it doesn’t get the attention in should.
“In this particular incidence, I think it should be brought to their attention and for officers at the fire brigade to consider it and give a yes or no.”
Some of the green nature of Hayley Green will be kept, although a large green space first planned for the centre of the development will now be split up.
Finally, nine councillors voted to move forward with the plan, supporting the recommendation of the professional officers, even though they had reservations, and three voted against.
The hold outs were three conservative cllrs: Tina McKenzie Boyle from Crowthorne, cllrs Dorothy Hayes and Tony Virgo of Winkfield and Warfield.
