Councils object to plan for 16 homes due to ‘highly variable’ ground

CONCERNS have been raised about the underlying ground conditions where there are plans to build 16 homes between Henley and Shiplake.

The Westbourne Group wants to put 12 houses and four maisonettes on 1.05 hectares of land to the rear of Pennyhill.

They will comprise detached, semi-detached, terraces and maisonette properties, which would be two-storeys with pitched roofs.

There would be six three-bed, four two-bed, two one-bed and four-four-bed houses as well as social and affordable renting and first homes available.

Card Geotechnics, a geoenvironmental consultant, conducted cone penetration tests and identified “highly variable” ground conditions.

It found evidence of potentially infilled dissolution features. This occurs when surface water run-off, which is slightly acidic and dissolves underlying chalk. This causes the dissolved zone to become filled with loose soil which can cause damage to the foundations of buildings.

To the north of the site is Thames Farm, which sits on top of an aquifer and is unstable and vulnerable to sinkholes.

Councils and residents have raised concerns about the applicant’s understanding of the geotechnical and hydrological make-up of the underlying ground.

Henley Town Council has recommended the plans are refused.

In a statement to South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, it said: “The site is not allocated in the joint Henley and Harpsden neighbourhood plan.

“Furthermore, the committee has significant concerns regarding the insufficient understanding of the ground conditions, specifically the hydrological and geotechnical aspects.

“Issues arising at the adjacent Thames Farm site may also extend to this location.”

At its planning committee meeting on Tuesday last week, Councillor Michelle Thomas suggested creating boreholes to test the ground.

She said: “Before they do anything else, they need to do some test boreholes to see if they do have a problem with the condition of the ground and its ability to take the weight of the housing and of course the drainage as well, which you know is a problem on the Thames Farm site.”

Shiplake Parish Council has also objected. It said: “There is insufficient understanding of the ground conditions from a hydrological and geotechnical perspective.

“The dissolution features present at Thames Farm may extend into this location too. It is unclear therefore what groundworks may be necessary and how these might impact the aquifer at this site.”

In also raised concerns about increased traffic flow and the risk this may pose to pedestrians. and is unhappy with the consultation, saying more residents should be asked for their views.

“The council is concerned about the lack of houses being asked for opinions,” it said. “The council requests that more residents in Shiplake, Reading Road and Woodlands Road should be consulted.”

The Thames Farm Action Group also objected to the plans, also raising concerns about the underlying ground conditions.

It said: “Without detailed information, it is not possible to determine what groundworks might be necessary to ensure that the development can be safely constructed without impacting either the wider environment or impacting the nearby aquifer.

“It is by no means certain that a development of this site can be undertaken to incorporate a sustainable drainage system, given the inability to robustly demonstrate what groundworks may be necessary to facilitate and development.”

The Henley Society conservation group has also objected, raising concerns about the lack of consultation.

Chairman Geoff Luckett said: “We are concerned that the immediate and affected near neighbours are not on the list of consultees.

“We suspect that this land might be contaminated like other neighbouring sites and recommend refusal until these issues are resolved.”

The district council will make a final decision by
May 16.