New Objection to 21/00655/FUL

Hello,

Apologies for the delay in getting this out to you.

The applicant has put in a new application to renew the planning permission for his Industrial Units, which includes the use of Public Footpath Newbury 5.  As we all know, this is setting up the situation for an all-access vehicular route for the Sandleford Development via the Warren Road access.  It would be very helpful if you would be willing to send in an objection letter to:

Planapps@westberks.gov.uk. 

I have included a couple of points which you are more than welcome to include.

Thanks, Julie

"Objection to 21/00655/FUL

I object to this application for the following reasons:

Public Footpath NEWB/5/1 is a FOOTPATH only with no motorised vehicle rights of way noted on the West Berkshire Council Definitive Map, which is the definitive legal document.

Previous Planning Application 17/00848/FULC – PROW was consulted but did not respond as it was “presumed” that the applicant had private rights of access to the Farm.  “I have discussed this point with (PROW Officer) and she has advised this was because the planning application related to an existing access to New Warren Farm and in these circumstances it would be presumed that the applicant had private vehicular rights for access” (Letter from West Berkshire Council dated 1 Mar 2019).   However, the original access (where St Francis Church now stands) was sold for development and permission was not granted for a new access or the Definitive Map amended.

Planning cannot be granted on the expectation that the proposed Sandleford development will be approved, as Public Footpath NEWB/5/1 is listed as sustainable transport only in the Core Strategy and merely “exploration” of all-access route in the SPD.

Although Conditions were set regarding the maintenance of the footpath within previous planning applications, the public footpath has not been maintained adequately and West Berkshire Council has not upheld the Conditions set: https://info.westberks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=35893&p=0

Trenches have been dug beside trees with TPOs without permission and the surface of the footpath is hazardous for pedestrians (pot-holes and water hazard).  The HGVs and LGVs using this road, in my experience, do not give priority to pedestrians and it is a hazard to the many school children of Park House school who leave by the gate onto the footpath at drop off and pick up times.