Residents unhappy with plan for 70 more homes

RESIDENTS have raised concerns over changes made to a plan for 70 new homes in Emmer Green.

The land acquisitions company, Fairfax, made adjustments to its plans to build 223 homes at the former Reading Golf Course site, west of Kidmore End Road.

The company received outline permission from Reading Borough Council in March 2022, despite there being more than 4,000 objections.

But a new outline application includes the additional homes with the developer suggesting it will include affordable homes together with associated open space, landscaping and new access.

The new overall homes total would be 293 on the six hectares of land to the north of the site, up to Cucumber Wood and be a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced houses.

It also promises a new public green space and play area, and electric vehicle charging points.

The extension would share roads and access with the rest of the development, with entry and exit at the existing junction with Kidmore End Road in Emmer Green.

The design was adjusted late last month following comments received from the council’s urban design and landscape officer.

Changes include tree planting at the perimeter and scope for additional areas of potential woodland planting, which would include replacing the four approved trees on the site to the south.

A traffic survey, undertaken on July 8, at the Peppard Road, Henley Street, Westfield Road and Prospect Street junction, estimated that the proposed development would lead to only a slight increase in queue lengths, which is not considered to result in a severe impact.

Residents have raised concerns regarding the capacity of local services, traffic, reliance on public transport and the loss of green spaces and their wildlife, and have written to South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority.

Lucy Sansom, of Crawshay Drive in Emmer Green, raised concerns about the lack of and therefore additional need for infrastructure to support the expanding development.

She said: “I am saddened by the proposal for yet more houses on this beautiful piece of countryside.

“I appreciate the need for housing but these are not affordable homes and will not meet the most pressing need. The infrastructure of Emmer Green cannot sustain the ever-growing development. The schools and doctors’ surgeries are already over-subscribed.”

Richard Parry, from Emmer Green, is concerned about the loss of habitat and wildlife in the area.

He said: “The amendments make little difference to a house-building plan that is another nail in the coffin of a habitable planet. How can we even be considering this? We are beyond red alert.

“Please turn this plan aside so that we retain a small part of what was a lovely green space.” Kate Paterson, of Peppard Road in Emmer Green, raised concerns about traffic and public transport.

She said: “The Peppard Road, Henley Road, Prospect Street junction that takes all the traffic, trying to enter Reading from the Emmer Green direction, is already a significant bottleneck and traffic is often queuing to the location of my property, which is almost 1km from the junction.

“The application mentions that new residents in the development will not need to use cars for travel due to the availability of public transport, but in reality, this is not practical.

“Bus travel is the only public transport option, and it is infrequent and transports residents only into the centre of Reading.”

The district council is set to make a final decision by September 30.