MORE than 2,000 people have lent their support to a petition demanding plans for 4,000 homes in Warfield are scrapped.

Bracknell Forest’s draft local plan, which outlines where new homes could be built in the borough up to 2036, includes a proposal for this development at the site of multi-national tech company Syngenta at Jealott’s Hill.

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The new homes would be built on green belt land - something which is worrying residents living close to the site.

A ‘Save Our Green Belt at Jealott’s Hill’ petition set up online asks people to add their name to the cause for a number of reasons.

Bracknell News:

It reads: “If implemented this will have major negative impact on the environment locally, will create additional air pollution and traffic congestion on the Bracknell, Holyport, Maidenhead route, will create an isolated community poorly served by public transport and will threaten indigenous local wildlife.

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“We need to demonstrate strong local public support for this petition if this development is to be stopped.”

So far, the petition has received more than 2,200 signatures against a target of 2,500.

Bracknell News:

Residents had the chance to submit their views on the plans to Bracknell Forest planning chiefs in a consultation on the draft local plan from October to the first week of December.

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When proposals were unveiled, councillors hailed the inclusion of more than 1,400 affordable homes as part of the overall scheme.

Speaking in September, Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker said: “When I’m out on the doorstep talking to residents, one of the things that many of them turn around to me across the borough and say is: ‘Where are my children going to live? Where are we going to have affordable housing?’

“I’m particularly proud that in this consultation one of the things that we’re looking at doing is increasing our affordable housing rate.”

Bracknell News:

But since then the Campaign for Rural England has slammed the plans because going ahead with the proposal would mean an “irreversible loss” of green space and residents have suggested the plans are ‘not justified’.

Commenting on the petition’s page, one said: “I'm signing because this development is unnecessary... and most importantly because of the impact of unwanted and un-need development on the state of the environment and climate emergency we face.”

If the site is included in BFC’s final local plan, housebuilding could start in 2027 and is anticipated for completion by 2049.