My comment on the scoping study for Hall farm (following on from my video before xmas on the local plan impact)
I am very concerned about the viability and suitability of this site, I would ask you to consider firstly the risk of flooding. Most of the site is in flood zone 1 and 2 and some is in zone 3, access roads are recognised as being likely to flood but the mitigation of road elevation will not resolve issues in particular at the Loddon Bridge roundabout which regularly floods and causes significant issues. This forms a key access point to the roads proposed for access to the site. The bridge to LE way is recognised as a key access point for the development and yet flooding of LE way or Mill Lane roundabout has not been sufficiently addressed.
Secondly the traffic impact of this development has not bee adequately reviewed, assumptions made in traffic modelling assume Reading is the major access hub and yet accessibility to Reading itself has not been addressed. The assumptions of employment on site need to be reviewed due to the relatively low level of employment in Shinfield studios and the extent of current development which may already exceed the need. The transient nature of many roles in the film business may necessitate more commuters than permanent employees living in the area. I would like to see a deeper analysis of the jobs provided within the site and their nature and tenure to assess if the assumptions of people being able to walk or cycle to work are valid.
Currently, Lower Earley Way is expected to take a large proportion of the traffic from the development, this is regularly gridlocked between 7:30 and 10 am and 5 and 7 in the evenings with the current traffic volume and even with enhancements will not cope with increased volumes. In addition, extra traffic will seriously impact nearby local residents in areas such as Barn Croft Drive and to the south of Chatteris Way by eating into the vegetation screen and open countryside protecting them from the M4 and vastly increasing noise and pollution. The bridge over the river to access will be relatively high level and make this worse in my view.
Arborfield Church Lane is an important consideration for traffic and access planning in the Hall Farm/Loddon Valley development. This drive is currently a quiet, rural route, but its proximity to the proposed development raises potential concerns about increased traffic flow, safety, and environmental impact.
In summary, I think that the traffic impact has been underestimated and the employment within walking distance overestimated. The poor links to Reading, with the lack of nearby rail or adequate bus routes, have not been properly considered. This will lead to a significant, unacceptable, and unsustainable increase in car use.
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https://planning.wokingham.gov.uk/FastWebPL/detail.asp?AltRef=243188&ApplicationNumber=243188&AddressPrefix=&Postcode=&KeywordSearch=&Submit=Search
