Green space housing development in Reading rejected
Thousands had objected to plan to build houses on Pincents Hill in west Reading
Plans for 165 homes at Pincents Lane in Tilehurst in west Reading have been rejected by West Berkshire Council.
Councillors went against recommendations to approve the scheme, saying the extra traffic generated by it would not be safe.
More than 3,000 objections had been lodged against the development. Around 200 wrote in to support it.
Developers had reduced their original application of 265 homes to 165, but the move was not approved by the Eastern Area Planning Committee.
“Access is not suitable on a large number of days so how can we approve a housing development which is land locked?” asked councillor Alan Law (Con, Basildon )
“The averages on traffic levels are fine but it is the peak that concerns me. You just have to go up that road and see what it is like at the pinchpoint.”
The meeting heard council highways officers outline how they had reached their recommendation to approve the scheme.
They showed statistics compiled from complex traffic movement modelling saying that the traffic increase was not extensive enough for refusal.
The data model showed that traffic queues down Pincents Lane from IKEA to the A4 would lengthen from 164 seconds to 239 seconds on Saturdays. And they would add around 30 seconds to journeys at peak weekday times.
“If you add it all up, it comes to about 70 cars in the queues down Pincents Lane,” said councillor Geoff Mayes (Lib Dem, Burghfield and Mortimer).
Councillor Richard Somner (Con, Tilehurst South and Holybrook) said: “The pinchpoint is a matter of safety. I am not prepared to accept the responsibility for adverse affect on safety.”
But the highways officers argued that if there wasn’t a pinchpoint they would be asking for one to slow the traffic down for walkers and horse riders.
Clive Taylor of Tilehurst Parish Council told the meeting that the council objected to the scheme.
He said: “I have lived within a few hundred yards of this site and walk across the public rights of way here. We are concerned this misrepresents planning policy as it sits outside the settlement boundary.
“This land is used at all times of the year as local people appreciate it as a place of nature in which to relax.
“The new proposal from 265 to 165 homes takes out most of the smaller units which will affect those on lower incomes.”
He said schools in the area had no more space and that GP surgeries in the area are already under pressure. The nearest surgery is in Theale.
“It will further erode the gap between Tilehurst, Calcot and Theale,” he added.
Councillors unanimously voted to reject the plan. Developers have yet to comment on any plans for an appeal.