Villagers in Berkshire are demonstrating their opposition to a plan for 40 homes in a roadside banner campaign.
Banners in the village of Barkham appeared this month calling for Edneys Hill to be ‘saved’.
The banners can be seen outside homes near Edneys Hill, which is the subject of a plan for 40 new houses with access being provided via Barkham Road.
According to the Save Edneys Hill campaign, neighbours have received letters from the planning enforcement department of Wokingham Borough Council telling them to remove the banners as they breach planning rules.
The plan was submitted by developer Bewley Homes in October last year.
Since then, dozens of neighbours have objected.
Enola Adams-Dorey said “nothing positive” will come from the development, arguing that it will create additional pressure on roads and local services such as school places and doctors surgeries.
William Tyler, who lives nearby in Finchampstead said: “The narrow lanes in this area are already badly damaged.
“This development would make it worse. This space is not vacant. It is home to wildlife which would be mainly destroyed.
“The significant light pollution in this area would be made worse.
There are already too many houses in this area and there is little
space left for nature. This remaining area is beautiful.”
Boyer, the planning agents working on behalf of Bewley Homes, said the development would create ‘a beautiful and timeless new neighbourhood integrated as part of Barkham’.
Furthermore, Boyer touted other benefits to the plan, arguing it would provide a ‘biodiversity net gain’ and be a “lively and fun” place to live, complemented with an inter-connected network of amenity open space, parks, gardens and onsite orchard and play areas.
The plan involves demolishing 368 Barkham Road to clear a path for development.
The new estate would consist of four five-bed, 13 four-bed, seven three-bed and six two-bed houses, plus eight two-bed flat over garage (FOG) maisonettes and two one-bed maisonettes.
Additionally, 40 per cent (16) of these would be affordable, consisting of six FOG maisonettes, five three-bed homes, three two-bed homes and two one-bed maisonettes.
You can view the application by typing reference 223037 into the council’s planning portal.
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