PLANS for 199 new homes in Calcot have been approved amid fears over traffic congestion on the A4.

Fears had also been raised about two badger setts on the site that will be destroyed to make way for the development.

But the approval means Bellway Homes will build 199 homes on the land to the west of Dorking Way. 80 will be affordable housing, 56 of which will be social rent and 24 shared ownership. 

People who live nearby said they were concerned about traffic congestion in the area, which is already bad and would be made worse by the development.

Mary Bedwell, chairman of Holybrook Parish Council, said: “Traffic in the area has been increasing year on year, with very little improvement.”

She also said the development would be very dense and ‘far denser than the surrounding area’. Ms Bedwell made the comments to West Berkshire Council’s eastern area planning committee on November 20. 

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The highways officer at the council recommended approval of the plans, and had done extensive modelling of how the extra traffic would affect the area. 

But Ms Bedwell said: “We fail to understand why the traffic analysis is a complete discrepancy with the daily reality experienced by our residents. Is this a realistic assessment?”

Simon Collard, who lives very close to the new development, said the traffic congestion along Dorking Way was ‘totally unsustainable’. He said: “I feel deadly sorry for the residents of this new development trying to drive out at peak times.” 

Mr Collard also raised concerns on the impact of the local GP surgery, Theale Medical Centre. He said there were currently 11,000 patients at the surgery. 

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According to Mr Collard, the national ratio of GPs to patients is 1:1,300, while at Theale surgery, there are two GPs with 2,500 patients each. He said with the hundreds more patients, there would be ‘absolutely no chance they can sustain it’. 

Julia Mountford, representing Bellway, said the principle of development had already been agreed by the council. She said the plans conform will all of the council’s highways standards, and there will be new footpaths and bike paths. 

Traffic modelling work had been checked by the council, as well as an independent external consultant, she said. 

Two active badger setts on the site will be destroyed by the development, according to Binfield Badger Group. Despite this, the council’s ecologist recommended approving the plans. A new artificial sett will be created closeby for the badgers to move into. 

Michael Butler, council planner, said: “It’s hoped that the badgers will occupy that new site.” 

According to Ms Mountford, Bellway will ask Natural England for a licence to destroy the badger setts. She said there will still be a ‘net gain in biodiversity’, including bird and bat boxes. 

Gareth Dowding, council highways officer, said the main traffic problems were because of the M4, and ‘nothing to do with the developments in the area’.

He added: “You will never find all the residents leaving all at the same time, all leaving in the same direction.”

Councillor Alan Law (Con, Basildon) said: “This whole junction has been well researched and well modelled. We’ve got to rely on the specialists to guide us.” 

But doubts about the modelling were raised by Cllrs Alan Macro (Lib Dem, Theale) and Jeremy Cottam (Lib Dem, Thathcham North East).

Existing problems on the A4 and M4 were not reasons to refuse permission, according to Cllrs Gareth Hurley (Con, Pangborne) and Tony Linden (Con, Tilehurst Birch Copse).

Five councillors voted to approve the plans, and three voted against. Straight after the vote, people in the audience shouted ‘shame on you’.