Reading West MP Martin Salter has reacted angrily to recommendations in a Local Development Framework report from West Berkshire Council setting out their options appraisal for development sites in their district up to the year 2016. Despite covering a huge geographical area, West Berkshire have listed sites in Whitehart Meadows, Theale and Pincents Hill in Calcot in their top three preferred locations for development. Their number one site is Newbury Racecourse but in assessing potential housing sites the council appears to have rejected any other significant development around Newbury, Hungerford, or Thatcham in favour of building in the already densely populated greater Reading area.

The planning report goes to before the council’s executive on Thursday (23^rd April) and will then be subject to a formal consultation in May and June. Back in 2004 West Berkshire councillors submitted a figure of 10,500 homes to be provided in their district by 2016 as part of the South East Plan. Following the decision by the Government to reject the independent panel’s recommendation to include Kennet Meadows as a development zone the West Berkshire housing numbers were reduced down from 18,000 to the original 10,500.

Both Pincents Hill and Whitehart Meadows form part of the Strategic Gap between Theale and Tilehurst and in the past West Berkshire have resisted attempts to develop this important green gap between the two communities. 

Martin Salter said:-

“Back last year I warned that there was a danger that West Berkshire councillors would seek to dump housing on the edge of Reading in order to take pressure off places Newbury, Thatcham, and Hungerford. We’ve seen this behaviour before by councils surrounding Reading borough which is how we ended up with places like the Beansheaf and Lower Earley estates being built with inadequate infrastructure and a lack of community facilities. There is now every prospect that history could be about to repeat itself if West Berkshire councillors fail to make good their long-standing promises to protect Whitehart Meadows in Theale and Pincents Hill in Calcot.”

He added:-

“Five years ago I successfully campaigned to stop the Whitehart Meadows development on the edge of Theale and since last summer I have been working hard with the Save Calcot Group to mobilise public opposition to the Blue Living proposals for 900 homes at Pincents Hill. The volume and extent of local objections is acknowledged in the Planning Report yet still the council seems set to ride roughshod over its own planning policies and the views of local people. If these sites are not removed on Thursday by the local Tory councillors then this will represent a clear act of betrayal by people who say one thing at a public meeting and another in the council chamber.”

Local campaigner Nicky Sealey added:-

“Local residents will spitting blood if West Berkshire councillors go ahead and keep Pincents Hill in the list of preferred development sites. I hope our elected representatives will stay true to their word and do not do the developers’ job for them by designating Pincents Hill as an area ripe for housing. It is an important wildlife site and provides a clear limit to the settlement boundary of Greater Reading and should be retained.”