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08/10/09 : Bath Road reservoir scheme thrown out - after Labour shows Committee the way! :
On October 7, Reading's Planning Committee threw out Thames Water's plans to build 96 homes on the precious reservoir site on Bath Road.
They followed a lead from Labour's Tony Page, Lead Councillor for Strategic Planning & Transport, who tabled a resolution listing ten planning reasons for rejecting the scheme, saying it represented over-development of the site, was not environmentally sustainable, damaged the setting of the listed water tower, meant loss of amenity for neighbouring residents, resulted in a loss of open space, failed to meet the Council's Biodiversity Action Plan, disrupted a wildlife link, destroyed far too many trees, and the suggested access onto Bath Road was a threat to road safety.
Planning officers had recommended accepting the application with conditions, but Martin Salter MP and Minster Ward Councillors Paul Gittings and Deborah Watson urged the Committee to endorse the criticisms of the Save the Bath Road Reservoir Campaign and many other opponents, including 1400 people who had signed an on-line petition against the plans.
Cllr. Page says: "After Thames Water withdrew their previous application, Martin Salter, Paul Gittings and the campaigners met with them to urge them to come forward with a more modest scheme which would have respected the views of the RG1 community. But all they did was to reduce their bid from 101 homes to 96! Their application was completely unacceptable, and it was important for the Committee to lay down the basis on which it Thames Water should be sent back to the drawing board.
"Labour members of the Committee took the responsibility for doing that, and I am very glad we had unanimous support from the other parties. I hope Thames and their advisers will think seriously about what was said and come back with something that local people will find acceptable."
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