Alok Sharma, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, and local councillors Joe Mooney, Tony Linden and Emma Webster are asking local residents to turn out in force at West Berkshire Council’s planning meeting on 24 February, which will hear Blue Living’s planning application to build 750 homes and commercial space on Pincents Hill.

The planning meeting, which is open to the public, will be held next Wednesday 24 February at 6.30 p.m. at Little Heath School in the main hall.
Alok Sharma and the local ward councillors have been completely opposed to Blue Living’s plans ever since the developer made public its intentions in September 2008 and have been working with local residents and the Save Calcot Action Group to stop any development on this site. Around 900 local residents responded to a Pincents Hill survey previously circulated by Alok and the councillors and the survey results showed huge local opposition, with 85% of respondents opposed to any development on Pincents Hill.

Alok Sharma said: “I am very pleased that West Berkshire Council officers have recommended that Blue Living’s application should be rejected and I very much hope that the planning committee will share this view. Local people are overwhelmingly opposed to any development on this site and I hope their views will prevail.”
Alok continued: “To West Berkshire Council’s credit they have already listened to local people’s views on the local development framework and excluded Pincents Hill as a “strategic site” from that plan, despite huge pressure from central Government to concrete over all our green spaces.”

Councillor Joe Mooney added: “The LDF was a great result for local people but we still need to make sure Blue Living’s application is rejected. Please come to the public meeting to show your opposition to Blue Living’s plans.”

Photo: Alok Sharma at Pincents Hill with members of the Save Calcot Action Group telling Blue Living Hands-off Pincents Hill!