An associate professor working in planning and development has spoken out against the 200 homes proposed for Hurst where she lives.
Dr Gemma Moore of University College London said the homes would lead to more cars being used to reach services outside the village, adding: “We are in a climate emergency. The transport sector is responsible for 16.2% of global greenhouse emissions.”
She said the developer’s case had put surprising emphasis on their proposal for tennis courts and an outdoor gym. “This proposal is a tokenistic footnote that could lazily be added to many proposals in the desire tick a box,” she claimed.
Dr Moore alleged there had been no involvement from the local communities. “The existing communities of Hurst and Whistley Green will be changed: negatively impacted by the introduction of this out-of-place ‘suburban’ housing estate on the sparse, rural settlement,” she said.
And chartered surveyor Huw Griffiths, also from Hurst said: “It’s clear that 200 homes will cause significant harm to the character and setting of the village, how can it not? This harm is specific to this site while the benefits [of the scheme] are not.”
