More homes in Warfield were approved by Bracknell Forest Councillors last week despite concerns from residents that it would exacerbate flooding and sewage problems for the village.
Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee met on Thursday, November 7 to decide on plans to build 16 homes off Priory Lane in Warfield, Bracknell Forest.
It comes as part of 2,200 homes planned for the village known as the Warfield Strategic Development.
First outlined in 2015, the plans will deliver not only thousands of homes, but employment, a neighbourhood centre, two primary schools and a community hub to the area.
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The latest chunk of homes will be built on land rear of Warfield Priory following the demolition of existing garages.
A range of one-to-five-bedroom houses will be accessed by car and foot through Old Priory Lane.
But many residents and some councillors raised concerns that more homes would exacerbate sewage and flooding problems in the area.
Neighbour Alan Lacy told the committee: “I’ve lived in Warfield for nearly 40 years and our home backs onto the priory site in question.
“Whilst I agree that more homes are needed, this should not be before certain water problems have been decided and rectified.”
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He said the village often experiences flooding as it is ‘known for its springs, ponds and blocked watercourses’.
Councillor Tony Virgo agreed that he was not ‘reassured’ that more residents using more water would not worsen existing problems.
But flooding experts said there had been no recent complaints of flooding in the area, and that there ‘would be no reason for this to contribute to it’.
Drainage systems have features which ‘regulates the outflow of water [from new homes] in a controlled manner’, according to a planning officer.
Developers Escrillon Properties said that flooding prevention had been a ‘key part of the design process’.
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Planning officers added that a ‘belt and braces’ condition that Thames Water must give evidence to show the systems are working effectively was added to the approval.
But Councillor Virgo said that it was ‘ridiculous’ that flooding experts said there was no problems in the area when residents had told the committee the opposite.
Councillor Patrick Smith, who supported the plans, said: “I very much appreciate that development in these locations is often unpopular with existing residents and I am quite sympathetic to their frustrations.
“This is currently quite a nice green area that unfortunately would be lost to development in this case. But the council is obliged to allocate sites in line with government mandated housebuilding targets.”
The ward member for Swinley Forest added that approval was being given on ‘the most rigorous set of conditions we have seen yet’.
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