Easebourne homes row goes on over traffic worries

The lead developer for an estate where 111 homes could be built near Easebourne has challenged ‘false statements’ about the company in planning documents.
ks190488-4 K7 Development  phot kate
Concerned residents James Brown, Roisin Hines, John Hines, Jan Brown and Ian Milne in front of the Kings Green East development site. ks190488-4 SUS-190209-194643008ks190488-4 K7 Development  phot kate
Concerned residents James Brown, Roisin Hines, John Hines, Jan Brown and Ian Milne in front of the Kings Green East development site. ks190488-4 SUS-190209-194643008
ks190488-4 K7 Development phot kate Concerned residents James Brown, Roisin Hines, John Hines, Jan Brown and Ian Milne in front of the Kings Green East development site. ks190488-4 SUS-190209-194643008

City and Country was the original developer for the King Edward VII hospital estate, and has subsequently sold off areas of the estate to other developers.

A City and Country spokesman said developer Probitas, which is seeking to build retirement homes on two parcels of estate land, had agreed to correct the claims.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Planning documents had said City and Country was ‘struggling financially’.

Probitas has said the 93 homes on land at Kings Green East and 18 homes on land at Superindendents Drive are necessary as ‘enabling development’ to facilitate the promised works to the estate chapel.

Residents have objected to both plans, citing concerns about water supply, traffic and parking and the loss of rural landscape.

A spokesman for City and Country said it was willing to work with the community to find ‘a solution’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “Having spent the past four years painstakingly restoring and converting King Edward VII Estate, breathing new life into this majestic Grade II* listed Arts & Crafts masterpiece, any additional development at the estate must be fit for purpose and of an appropriate level of design.

“We have been equally disappointed by these new proposals so far, which included false statements relating to City & Country that Probitas has agreed to correct.

“We do, however, believe that a solution can be reached and are willing to work with Probitas, the local authority and the local community.”

Recent objections to the plans have focussed on the scale of the plans and additional traffic in the area.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Claire Wood, who lives near Kings Green East, said there would be a ‘hugely increased’ traffic flow.

She wrote: “As local residents, we feel we take our lives in our hands daily when travelling along Kings Drive either by car or foot.

“The 60mph speed limit along a narrow, winding lane has caused us to suffer several, very frightening near misses as vehicles career towards us, often in the middle of the road.

“The prospect of greatly increased traffic flow is truly terrifying and feels like it would be an accident waiting to happen.

“Surely common sense dictates that a road such as this is, is simply just not suitable for a larger than necessary volume of traffic.”