Flooding fear stressed at planning inquiry
Furze Platt: Appeal against council rejecting 330-home Spencer’s Farm estate
Controversial plans for 330 homes at Spencer’s Farm, which residents fear will worsen traffic and flooding, have come under the spotlight this week.
A planning inquiry began on Tuesday after developers Summerleaze and IM
Land launched appeals over the Royal Borough’s decision to refuse permission in July 2023.
The council blocked the application, with panel members citing concerns including increased flood risk, impact on roads and a lack of emergency access – with one councillor saying it was ‘playing with Russian roulette with people’s lives’.
The application forms part of the AL25 and AL28 allocations on land north of
Lutman Lane, scheduled for development in the Borough Local Plan.
At the inquiry, Jean Sutherland – resident of Westmead, which backs onto the Spencer’s Farm site – detailed her concern over the development’s potential negative effect on flooding.
She said: “I don’t see how you [the developer] are solving a problem by serving up another one, it doesn’t exactly seem to me to be a great idea.
“I still have no clarity as to how you are going to get rid of this floodwater, and by God I’ve really tried to have a look.”
Westmead residents made headlines in January, after major flooding saw their gardens disappear underwater.
This has added to concerns that development at Spencer’s Farm would worsen existing flood risk.
The opening submission on behalf of the council, led by Guy Williams KC, also identifies flood risk as a key concern – arguing emergency access to the development could be compromised during flood events.
A Flood Risk Proof of Evidence, submitted on behalf of the developers, advises the development includes construction of water attenuation (storage) basins and a run-off route to Maidenhead Ditch, to mitigate flooding.
Ms Sutherland also raised concerns over whether the development would exacerbate problems with access and congestion in Aldebury Road, which joins Westmead.
Representing the developers, Christopher Young KC responded: “On Aldebury you’ve got two access points, and those two access points create a loop.
“We are then going to create an access into our site which will still allow people to turn – when they come off the main road.”
He added: “Sometimes
I’m acting for a housebuilder and I’m promoting a scheme where we might have up to
600 houses off a single point of access.”
Further concerns over congestion were also highlighted by resident Paul Strzelecki who argued no consideration had been given to road infrastructure in Cookham.
Mr Strzelecki said increases in traffic flows caused by the development would push Cookham Bridge and the junction of Cookham High Street and Sutton Road (beside Stanley Spencer Gallery) past capacity.
This would be made worse, he said, in combination with other proposed housing developments at Hollands Farm in Bourne End and Cannondown Road in Cookham.
Mr Strzelecki added: “It [the Stanley Spencer Gallery junction] is congested to the point of almost capacity, anything else that’s added takes it over capacity.
“My point to the council is – forget Spencer’s Farm, forget Cannondown Road – we’ve got a problem anyway, you [the developers] are just compounding it.”
However, Mr Young said that no evidence had been provided to substantiate this view and Mr Strzelecki’s argument was ‘speculative’.
The appellant argues, in its opening submission, that the Spencer’s Farm plans do not conflict with RBWM’s planning policy.
It says the 330-home plan will provide affordable housing to help remedy an ‘eye-watering’ problem in the borough which is ‘one of the most expensive areas for entry level housing in the country’.
The inquiry is set to conclude today (Friday) and the planning inspector, Thomas Hatfield, will make a decision at a later date.