Fresh plans for homes on a green field site near the Twyford/Hurst border have emerged.
Hundreds of people objected to 200 new homes between Lodge Road and Tape Lane, Hurst – and the government Planning Inspectorate refused permission.
This week the same builders have come back with a different plan – this time for 99 homes on the same site. Their leaflet about it went to homes in Hurst and Twyford.
A new battle to stop homes on the field looks likely.
Last time Hurst Village Society gave £7000 to Hurst Parish Council towards a barrister to help fight the 200 homes. Committee member John Osborne also spoke at the appeal hearing.
But the HVS has recently disbanded amid controversy. An Extraordinary General Meeting agreed to close the society and give society funds of about £12,000 to other village organisations.
Less than a month later a steering group is working on a new society under the banner New Hurst Village Society.
One of the group of five, Victor Boardman, said: “At the Hurst Show [on June 29 and 30] 99 people interested in joining gave us their email addresses. People want to keep a society going and reinvigorate it with new, young blood.”
There had been no discussion yet about the 99 homes plan, but he added: “the proposal would affect the character and green spaces of the village.”
He said New Hurst Village Society aimed to bring the village together. It would also fight planning applications which adversely affected the village’s character or its green spaces.
Turning down the appeal for the 200 homes, the inspector was concerned about the arrangements to make up for the loss of 46% of the field’s habitat.
He said the scheme “could not be said to protect and enhance the natural environment.” It would also “fail to conserve the low-density pattern of settlement centred around Hurst and Whistley Green.”
In their recent leaflet builders Mac & Mic say: “Our revised proposals will deliver up to 99 new homes sensitively designed to reflect and compliment the unique village character of Hurst, whilst enhancing sustainability and biodiversity.”
Benefits would include affordable housing, prioritised for locally connected people; open space; play areas and allotments. Details are at www.landeastoflodgeroad.co.uk
Mr Boardman said the new committee would be voted in at the inaugural meeting in August or September. The society would aim for transparency. Mr Boardman said members of the old committee had reported receiving abuse. He warned that any future abuse, online or otherwise, would unacceptable.
The EGM minutes published online said: “Several committee members had suffered considerable abuse on social media and in the press, and also face to face, resulting in two stalwart members of the committee resigning. Complaints had had to be made to local bodies and newspapers.
The minutes of the EGM can be seen at https://www.hvs.org.uk . Wokingham Today earlier reported that there were questions at the EGM about some members not being told about the meeting and about taking the vote on disbanding if there were new volunteers to fill spaces on the committee. It was also suggested that some of the society’s funds could be held for a successor society. Afterwards solicitors advised that a vote could not have been taken on the funds suggestion.
