The consultation period for the Arborfield Bypass Relief Road is drawing to a close. If you haven’t already done so, please make your opinions known either by visiting the exhibition in the corner of the Henry Street Garden Centre Coffee Shop, or by registering your opinions online at http://consultations.wokingham.gov.uk/reliefroad_arborfield/reliefroad_arborfield.htm?ConsultationonArborfieldReliefRoad. Council officers will again be at Henry Street on Friday 25th October, 1.30pm to 5.30pm and Saturday 26th October, 09.30am to 1.30pm.
Opinion in Arborfield is very strongly in favour of route B, especially following the revelation that the favoured route A bulldozes straight through the middle of the villages only “Area of Special Character”, protected by Wokingham District Council in 1994 when the council stated that any proposals that would affect the area should be expected to respect the historical context of the area, and that the council would ensure that harmful changes do not occur. Needless to say in the eyes of many in the village cutting a road through the top of the hill and straight down the middle of the protected field didn’t seem like ensuring harmful changes did not occur.
Alongside the active Arborfield Action Group more informal posters have popped up such as this one that can be found alongside one of the public footpaths that would be cut by the proposed road.
Whilst we’re quite sure there wasn’t a deliberate policy on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council to hide the area of special character – the council were quick to update the information when the error was highlighted, it is another example of our local council missing important details. Given that these are the people representing our interests against well resourced housing developers, companies that have already got developments granted over objections from the council it is a concern that key details like this are missed.
Those of you who are registered on the Aborfield and Newlands Parish Council Mailing list, or who attended the crunch Parish Council meeting this last week will know that the Parish Council has now made a decision on which route to support based on the feed back from their recent survey. The council has released an extensive statement detailing the figures behind their choice. As expected given the opinions being expressed by villagers, the council does not favour route A, and instead favours route B.
