RESIDENTS fighting plans to build up to 250 homes in a Winnersh cul-de-sac said that the proposals are “nothing short of a scandal on a national scale”.
They voiced their concerns at a protest meeting on Tuesday night.
St Mary’s Church in Winnersh was standing room only for the inaugural gathering, held after Taylor Wimpey submitted the application to Wokingham Borough Council days before Christmas.
The proposal is for outline planning permission to build the as yet unspecified homes on land at Maidensfield, behind the Winnersh British Legion.
It would be for a phased residential development and include public open space, landscaping and associated works. It would also include an unknown amount of affordable housing.
It is the second time that Taylor Wimpey has proposed to build homes on the land – a previous application was refused five years ago.
The land backs on to the A329m and if you drive along the Reading Road, aside from Dinton Pastures in neighbouring Hurst, it is the only significant green space between Wokingham’s town centre and Sol Joel Park in Earley.
The application submitted by Taylor Wimpey notes that the 11.5 hectares of land is in an area at risk of flooding and surface water will be disposed of by a sustainable drainage system.
Concerns raised at Tuesday’s meeting included the level of noise, the level of wildlife and if there would be enough capacity in the schools.
Maidensfield is currently accessible only via a bridge and Paul Fishwick from Winnersh Parish Council raised concerns that the road width is not sufficient and it would lead to parking issues for the area. This road is also the only access route in and out of the development.
There were also fears that the Emmbrook would not be able to cope – further upstream it already causes flooding at certain times.
Winnersh councillor Prue Bray was present at the meeting and pledged to support the residents.
She said: “It was a very busy meeting, the church was full and there were lots of questions.
“There was a lot of anger. People are fed up with them [Taylor Wimpey] and the plan to install 250 homes in a cul-de-sac.
“The proposals present certain things in a more favourable light. Everything that was wrong with it last time is still wrong this time.”
She added: “There was not one positive comment from the room. I will definitely fight this plan.”
Chair of the meeting, Dennis Goodlad, said that the proposal was a national scandal.
“The local authorities have to demonstrate they have a five year housing land availability – measured by the number of planning approvals granted. Wokingham Borough Council has demonstrated this,” he said.
“The housebuilders, however, are not completing houses at the required rate.
“But here’s the rub: when Wokingham Borough Council refuse planning permission, the house builders go to appeal and argue the permission should be granted because the completion rate is low. It’s the house builders who are controlling that rate, not the Council.
“It’s a nonsense.”
Cllr Bray also pointed out that her fellow Winnersh councillors, Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey and Philip Holdsworth, both sit on the planning committee and under rules of impartiality are unable to comment.
A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey told The Wokingham Paper: “We submitted an outline application for a phased residential development of up to 250 homes at Maidensfield, Winnersh in December 2017.
“The application evolved in consultation with members and officers of Wokingham Borough Council, Winnersh Parish Council and the local community, and people can now comment on the application via Wokingham Borough Council.
“All feedback is taken into account when putting together our proposals and if the outline application is approved there will be a further opportunity for people to comment on the reserved matters application in due course.”
