Henwick Park Update
WE NEED TO BE ALERT!
You may have read the article providing an update on the Cold Ash Neighbourhood Development Plan on our website – here. The article provided good news; that our housing allocation had been reduced to zero and, so, our NDP had become ‘non-allocating’. This means that we will not be expected to allocate any sites for development, in support of our NDP.
As part of the negotiations on allocation, WBC confirmed that they are not looking to include any strategic sites (these are sites allocated directly by WBC, outside of the NDP) beyond the NE Thatcham Development. You may also have read the letter Laura Farris, MP for Newbury, wrote to Lynne Doherty, Leader of WBC, regarding the proposed NE Thatcham Development. On the face of it, this looked like good news, however, some developers may see this as an opportunity to get their proposed sites reconsidered, which could reopen the question on site allocations.
One example of this is Henwick Park, which is a title given by the developers to proposed development of the site at the bottom of Cold Ash Hill (see map).
Cold Ash Parish Council has been contacted by the representatives of the developers requesting a meeting to discuss their proposals, which can be viewed on their website:
https://www.henwickparkthatcham.co.uk/
A copy of the response sent by Marie Fenner, Chair of Cold Ash Parish Council, can be found here. It reiterates our opposition to development of the site and outlines the reasons.
Cold Ash Parish Council will continue to represent parishioners’ views on this subject; however, we would encourage anyone who feels strongly about this issue to contact make their views known to our MP, District Councillors and Croudace, the proposed developers.
Ivor McArdle
Chair of Cold Ash Parish NDP Steering Committee