A main road will become dangerous and congested and people will lose privacy and views of a ‘beautiful sunset’ if plans for a major new housing estate are approved, neighbours have warned.
Councillors at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are set to approve detailed plans for a 320-home development behind the Aldi on Dedworth Road, between Windsor and Oakley Green.
Councillors already approved an outline of the development on June 30 last year. But neighbours have warned the development will cause ‘gridlock’, with only one access into the estate from Dedworth Road.
In a letter of objection to the council neighbour David Cox said: “We already have a situation in which both A308 and Dedworth road can be simultaneously gridlocked at morning rush hour.
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“I would assume that many of the new residents will also be travelling during rush hour on the same roads into Windsor or in the opposite direction towards Maidenhead and its Crossrail connections.
“I also don’t expect there is going to be any vastly improved public transport system for residents in this area eg provision of evening bus services between Dedworth and Maidenhead town centre??? Or a direct bus to Windsor or Maidenhead railway stations during peak times?”
Another neighbour said the development would block some of their daylight, and that new residents would be able to look into their home.
They said: “We will lose A LOT of daylight AND privacy, due to being backed onto the site. I can currently see a beautiful sunset every evening from my window and I don't think it's acceptable for this to just be taken away from my family.”
They added: “Not that I do this often but if I want to walk around with nothing on, then I can and I would not even be able to walk from the shower to my bedroom without something on.
“You should be able to have freedom in your own house and this was a key reason I bought this home in the first place.”
But council planning officers are recommending that councillors on the Windsor and Ascot development management committee approve the application.
The officers say the vehicle access to the new estate was already considered acceptable and approved when the outline plans were presented to the committee last year. The current application is to approve the design and layout of housing in the development.
Planning officers also say that the orientation, height and location of the new houses would leave ‘an adequate standard of amenity’ for neighbours. However they recommend that some of the houses should not be allowed the right to instal new windows in any future renovations.
Councillors on the committee were set to discuss the application on Thursday October 3.
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