Approval for 200 homes plan at Bridge Farm

A DEVELOPMENT of 200 homes will be built in Twyford after planning permission was granted, despite concerns over the traffic it will generate.

A meeting of Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee approved the scheme at Bridge Farm, opposite The Big Plant Nursery in New Bath Road.

Residents raised road safety and flooding near the River Loddon as reasons to object.

Lillian Pearson-Bishop said: “With 200 new houses, 400 plus cars, and 800 people the Bridge Farm site is not safe to be built on, and all of the villagers around it will be impacted, there’s no doubt about it.”

Twyford parish council’s Cllr Bridget Ditcham said there had been no mention of an affordable housing provider by the developer.

The farm site was not allocated for development in the council’s Local Plan which was adopted in 2010.

A decision had meant to have been taken in December, but was deferred for more information on traffic modelling and the proposed pedestrian and cycle routes in the scheme.

After revisting the plan, it was approved.

Chris Roberts, an agent on behalf of Croudace Homes said the reasons for deferral have been addressed, with the plan adjusted to provide better pedestrian and cycling provision along the A4, as well as footpath, signage and speed control improvements.

“Benefits include an approximate 30% biodiversity net gain, the planting of around 350 trees, a new riverside park, a full mixture of homes of different sizes and 40 per cent of affordable housing,” he said.

“Overall we consider this to be a very good scheme, it’s in a sustainable and walkable location.”

Addressing Cllr Ditcham’s concerns, Mr Roberts said an affordable housing provider would be chosen from the borough council’s approved list.

Cllr Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrats, Twyford) sided with neighbours in opposing the development, introducing a motion to refuse the plan, but as no-one would second it, it failed.

Cllr David Cornish (Liberal Democrats, Finchampstead South) said: “I think I have a reputation within our group of being the patron saint of lost causes, and I have a desperate desire to stand firm with Cllr Conway on this one, but I’m reminded of the ancient words of the Duke of Wellington which was ‘never reinforce defeat’, and I fear that is where we are heading for on this, and we should perhaps desire that discretion is the better form of valour.”

As this was an outline plan, further details will be provided in reserved matters applications, including the mix of housing provided on site.

The meeting was held on Wednesday, February 8.