CAMPAIGNERS are asking people to object to plans for house building in South West Wokingham.
A planning application has been lodged for a development of 40 homes.
People are opposed to the plans, which they say will destroy an area of countryside that provides an important corridor for wildlife.
Bewley Homes has applied for permission to build behind existing properties on Barkham Road.
Access to the new estate would be obtained via number 368, near the Edneys Hill roundabout.
The proposal follows another recent planning application by Berkeley Homes, for 350 homes to be built on nearby Blagrove Lane.
Locals argue that Barkham Road is already busy, and that further development will increase traffic on local highways.
They are also concerned that existing local infrastructure will not adequately support extra homes.
A spokesperson for Bewley Homes said:
“It should be pointed out that Berkeley Homes’ scheme for 350 homes on Blagrove Lane has not been granted consent yet.
“Our scheme has a number of positives for locals.
“It will provide 40% affordable homes, deliver much needed quality new homes to the area for locals, it will incorporate public walk and cycle ways through the site, and we would be subject to a Section 106 agreement which supports public infrastructure projects.”
Residents are unhappy about the impact of building on the pasture land that is home to wildlife.
They point out that deer, badgers, foxes, bats, and red kites all rely on the area.
Starlings flock there, and the field is home to red-legged partridges.
The area is also home to an animal charity that houses livestock on the pasture.
A representative of this group says that while the charity doesn’t want to lose the land, it remains impartial.
The organisation can see that development affects wildlife, but views the situation from all sides.
A spokesperson from Bewley Homes commented: “Currently there are horses grazing on the land which keeps the grass short and the wildlife away.
“We have conducted a reptile survey and nothing was found by our ecologist.
“We are undertaking bat surveys at different times of the year.
“We believe there are opportunities to enhance the biodiversity on the site.”
Local resident Tony Harrison says: “This is a hot spot for wildlife.
“Taking away natural habitat is criminal.”
Trees were felled on the site prior to the planning application being made.
The number that would be damaged by development would therefore appear to be fewer, now that some are already removed.
“The first we knew about it was seeing cutters in the field behind the house,” says Mr Harrison.
“Big, mature trees were being pulled down.
“Why permission was given for this, I don’t know.
“We immediately did what we could to save the remaining trees, by getting Tree Preservation Orders placed on them.”
A spokesperson for Bewley Homes said: “Ash dieback disease was identified within ash trees on the land and these were removed after an assessment from the tree surgeon.
“No trees were removed with a TPO or other protection.
“The oak trees remain and these will be incorporated into the proposed scheme.”
Water levels and traffic levels were assessed prior to the planning application.
Mr Harrison believes the testing was carried out in a way that does not give an accurate picture.
“I’ve lived here for 20 years, and all the gardens here get flooded,” he says, “yet, testing for local water levels was carried out during the extreme drought we had this summer.”
This year saw the borough’s driest July since records began over 100 years ago.
A spokesperson for Bewley Homes said: “If planning is granted, a drainage strategy will be put in place which will more than cope with the surface water that appears during the worst of the weather.
“We believe this will actually improve the drainage situation on the land.”
When traffic levels were assessed, the testing was done during the school holidays.
“Roads are very busy during term time, so why wasn’t the testing carried out then?” continues Mr Harrison.
A spokesperson for Bewley Homes said: “Our proposed scheme of 40 homes will make little difference to the traffic levels on Barkham Road even in the peak periods.
“We have good visibility and safe access.
“Our highways consultants have factored these requirements into our proposals.”
Flyers were dropped to local households prior to the application.
“We all received these flyers, which offered an opportunity to respond,” says Mr Harrison.
“I put in my objections, along with others, but the response we got appeared to counter every objection with the answer, ‘we’re right, and you’re wrong’.
“It wasn’t about engaging with the local community.
“It felt very much like a box-ticking exercise.”
Residents have set up a Facebook page to protest against the Bewley Homes application, called Save Our Edneys Hill.
They are urging as many people as possible to comment on the application and to make their objections known to Wokingham Borough Council.
The Planning Application can be found on the council’s website, number 223037.
The deadline for comments is Thursday, November 10.
For more information and for links to the plans visit: www.saveedneyshill.com
