New homes would look awful, says councillor

PLANS to build new homes on land close to a commercial estate in Henley have been criticised by town councillors.

Knole Homes is seeking planning permission to develop land in Newtown Road with three terraced houses, one with two
bedrooms, one with three and the other with four.

The company already has planning permission for two houses on the site but the new application includes the use of additional land, the back garden of a property in Reading Road.

Members of the town council’s planning committee said they were worried about the potential loss of land that could be used for commercial use.

Councillor Rob Romans said: “Newtown Road to me is an industrial estate and I just don’t think this is the right way to go.

“We should be trying to protect commercial or industrial land.”

Deputy Mayor Donna Crook said the proposed parking provision for the houses wasn’t suitable and residents would end up parking on the road, which would put pedestrians at risk.

“We have already had someone knocked down in that area,” she said.

Councillor Ken Arlett called the design of the proposed terrace “awful” and said the houses would be crammed in.

He said: “It’s backing on to some old terraced houses with pitched roofs and the design is totally out of character with the area around there.

“It is also massive overdevelopment. It has got nothing going for it whatsoever. I know we need houses but this is just not the right area for it.”

Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak said the company had ignored pre-application advice from South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, that the plans were unacceptable.

He added: “They’re just trying to squeeze as much as they can out of this site.”

The committee recommended that permission is refused. The district council is due make a decision by September 12.