A plan that would see more than 200 homes built on the outskirts of Bracknell has faced organised opposition from neighbours.
The project involves the construction of up to 235 homes on five fields in Hayley Green, Warfield, with only Westmorland Park separating the village from Bracknell itself.
The site is bound by Bracknell Road, Malt Hill and Forest Road, and is situated immediately west of The Cricketers pub, which featured in the ITV series Absolutely Ascot.
The plan by Jordan Construction Ltd was submitted to Bracknell Forest Council in November last year.
It has so far received 51 objections from neighbours, who have started a petition to request changes to the project.
The petition states: “During the preparation of the Warfield Neighbourhood Plan, many people requested that any road access only be onto the Bracknell Road. Please therefore remove road access onto Forest Road and onto Hayley Green (the road with this name).
“Hayley Green Village is semi-rural with a countryside feel.
“Please therefore change the plan to retain the field at the corner of Forest Road and Cricketers Lane as in Neighbourhood Plan discussions.”
The neighbours have also requested that new street lighting be removed to limit light pollution and preserve the dark skies neighbours are used to.
The e-petition on the Bracknell Forest Council website was set up in December last year and has so far received 16 signatures.
There is currently a back-and-forth between Jordan Construction’s planning agents, neighbours and Warfield Parish Council over the highways arrangements.
The illustrative masterplan for the development shows vehicular access to the site created through new junctions with Bracknell Road, Hayley Green and Forest Road.
Planning consultancy Stantec stated that each area created will have its own vehicular access, however, no through-roads are provided to prevent and deter rat-running.
Car parking spaces have not been explicitly defined, and would be determined after outline planning permission is granted.
Stantec has pointed out the Goose Corner bus stop in Forest Road is approximately a four-minute walk from the site, with the Five Ways Corner stop being a 10-minute walk away as well.
The consultancy also submitted a technical note responding to highways concerns on August 15.
Warfield Parish Council maintains that bus services, particularly as the route 299 Thames Valley bus between Bracknell, Warfield and Winkfield only runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The response states: “The existing service will do nothing to change people’s use of cars whether there are shelters or not and as such the development will itself become a magnet for car use and ownership.
“This service from the 299 will make a negligible contribution to reducing car use.”
The plan is yet to be decided.
You can view the application by typing reference 24/00718/OUT into the council’s planning portal.
