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A community has started a fighting fund so they can hire a barrister to help them stop about 200 homes being built on a green field.
Hundreds of Hurst villagers and others have objected to the houses between Tape Lane and Lodge Road, the B3030 Winnersh to Twyford road.
Wokingham Borough Council refused the scheme planning permission. But developers Mactaggert and Mickel have appealed against that. An inquiry to decide who should win starts on January 31.
Hurst Parish Council, which objected to the plan along with other village groups, has launched an appeal, saying: “The best way to fight the case is by engaging a barrister and that will mean we need to seek donations to support this. If you wish to donate, please contact clerk@hurstpc.org.uk https://www.hurstpc.org.uk/ or call the office at 0118 979 8914.”
Parish council chairman Wayne Smith said: “This scheme would increase the number of homes in the central village area by 34%. Based on Wokingham’s average car ownership it would mean 540 more cars on the roads here.
“The plan is not sustainable. There are no paths which connect with anything other than country walks. To live in Hurst you need a car. The buses here are very limited.”
Residents were concerned this week when heavy machinery moved onto the field to dig out long trenches, possibly for 20 working days. They’ve been told the digging is to discover what archaeological finds there may be.
One resident said: “The trenches seem strangely deep, narrow and long. That’s very unusual in my view. A man standing in one appeared to be up to his waist at least.’
Usually, there was a fairly shallow dig over a number of squares across a site, he added. Then if something looked promising trowels and brushes were used. He was concerned finds might be damaged.
However, Berkshire Archaeology Officer Edward Peverel said: “A written scheme of investigation (WSI) for work at [the field] was submitted to Berkshire Archaeology by Orion Heritage and Cotswold Archaeology.
“This WSI complied with industry and local standards for a typical trial trench evaluation. Berkshire
“Archaeology assented that the scheme of evaluation was satisfactory for assessing the archaeological potential of the site, and informing the need for further mitigation.”
He had seen monitoring photos of some of the progress on site so far, and had no reason to believe the work was being conducted contrary to the WSI or to the standards and guidance set out by Historic England and the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.
A desk-based assessment has noted a ‘moderate’ chance for prehistoric and Iron Age/Roman archaeology being at the site. The ponies and donkeys which usually graze there have been moved.
The parish council has welcomed the planning inquiry inspector’s decision to grant the council equal status as the applicant and the borough council officers. Everything will be shared with the parish council.
