Objection to 350 Houses at West End Farm (Site SPS5.15)
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Objection to 350 Houses at West End Farm (Site SPS5.15)
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A lot has happened since our last update on the proposal for 350 houses at West End Farm and we want to keep you fully informed:
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| | | Public Meeting 8 December
| | | Over 250 residents attended a vital meeting at St John’s Hall, where:
| | | | • | West Berkshire Council (WBC) explained the Regulation 18 consultation process.
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| | • | Stratfield Mortimer Parish Council (SMPC) gave a walkthrough of how to submit objections.
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| | • | A Toolkit was launched to help residents craft responses using valid planning reasons.
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| | | Residents were reminded that every individual in a household can submit a separate objection using a unique email address. This is important because:
| | | | • | Each individual objection counts
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| | • | Petitions, regardless of how many sign, count as just one response
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| | | | | | | | | Englefield Estate & Richard Benyon
| | | Despite repeated attempts, initial responses from the landowner, Englefield Estate, were vague and generic. Following a direct call to Richard Benyon, he has since acknowledged the strength of local concern and has requested a meeting with the Parish Council. We will share an update once this meeting has taken place.
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| | | | | Objection Toolkit Now Live
| | | | | | The toolkit offers:
| | | | • | A simple overview of how to object
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| | • | Step-by-step guidance on registering on the Basingstoke & Deane consultation portal
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| | • | Over 30 planning-based objection topics you can adapt in your own words
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| | | Each topic is supported by sound planning grounds. You're encouraged to choose the ones most relevant to you — whether it's infrastructure, environment, traffic, or local character — and submit your own, personal response.
| | | | | | | | | Parish Council Response in Progress
| | | The SMPC Steering Group has been meeting weekly and is finalising a comprehensive 200-page objection report with detailed evidence. This underpins the information in the toolkit and will form the formal response from the Parish Council.
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| | | Public Meeting 8 December
| | | Over 250 residents attended a vital meeting at St John’s Hall, where:
| | | | • | West Berkshire Council (WBC) explained the Regulation 18 consultation process.
|
| | • | Stratfield Mortimer Parish Council (SMPC) gave a walkthrough of how to submit objections.
|
| | • | A Toolkit was launched to help residents craft responses using valid planning reasons.
|
| | | Residents were reminded that every individual in a household can submit a separate objection using a unique email address. This is important because:
| | | | • | Each individual objection counts
|
| | • | Petitions, regardless of how many sign, count as just one response
|
| | | | | | | | | Englefield Estate & Richard Benyon
| | | Despite repeated attempts, initial responses from the landowner, Englefield Estate, were vague and generic. Following a direct call to Richard Benyon, he has since acknowledged the strength of local concern and has requested a meeting with the Parish Council. We will share an update once this meeting has taken place.
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|
| | | | | | Objection Toolkit Now Live
| | | | | | The toolkit offers:
| | | | • | A simple overview of how to object
|
| | • | Step-by-step guidance on registering on the Basingstoke & Deane consultation portal
|
| | • | Over 30 planning-based objection topics you can adapt in your own words
|
| | | Each topic is supported by sound planning grounds. You're encouraged to choose the ones most relevant to you — whether it's infrastructure, environment, traffic, or local character — and submit your own, personal response.
| | | | | | | | | Parish Council Response in Progress
| | | The SMPC Steering Group has been meeting weekly and is finalising a comprehensive 200-page objection report with detailed evidence. This underpins the information in the toolkit and will form the formal response from the Parish Council.
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| | Media Engagement and Awareness
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| | | Media Engagement and Awareness
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We’ve issued a press release and have already had coverage in:
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More media outlets have been contacted, and we hope to build further traction.
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In addition, we have contacted both Olivia Bailey MP (Reading West and Mid Berkshire) and Alex Brewer MP (North East Hampshire) — the two Members of Parliament whose constituencies cover our parish and the proposed site respectively.
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We have shared the press release with them and asked them to engage with the concerns raised by the community. We await their response and hope they will support the efforts of residents and the Parish Council to protect the village.
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JOIN THE RALLY “OUR VILLAGE, OUR VOICE!”
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JOIN THE RALLY “OUR VILLAGE, OUR VOICE!”
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| | Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council will be hosting a public consultation in Mortimer:
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| | | Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council will be hosting a public consultation in Mortimer:
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🗓️ Wednesday 7th January 2026
🕖 7:00 PM (Consultation runs 4:00–8:00 PM)
📍 St John’s Hall, Mortimer
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This is our chance to show the strength of community feeling. We urge you to:
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| • | Attend the rally at 7:00 PM
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| • | Help create a powerful, peaceful demonstration
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| • | Be part of any media coverage taking place on the day
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⚠️ Key Planning Issues – No Single Silver Bullet
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⚠️ Key Planning Issues – No Single Silver Bullet
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There may not be a single issue strong enough alone to remove the site from the B&D Plan — but a combination of well-evidenced objections can have real weight. We’re using a multi-pronged approach, drawing on traffic data, infrastructure gaps, planning policy, environmental concerns and more.
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We are also engaging with AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment) as the site sits between two consultation zones. While it lies just outside the DEPZ, we have submitted detailed evidence to AWE which may support an objection based on safety considerations.
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| | | We Need You to Act – Now
| | | So far, only 36 objections have been submitted — that's just over 1% of the parish. We urgently need many more.
| | | 📝 Use the toolkit.
🖊️ Write your objection — even if it's just a paragraph or two.
📨 Encourage every adult in your household to submit their own.
| | | SMPC has done the hard work of analysing the 400+ pages of consultation documentation — now we need your voice to make our objections count.
| | | Deadline to submit objections: 23 January 2026, 5:00 PM
| | | | | | Need More Help?- No Problem
| | | Contact the Parish Office to book a place at a free objection-writing workshop — we'll guide you through it step-by-step
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| | | We Need You to Act – Now
| | | So far, only 36 objections have been submitted — that's just over 1% of the parish. We urgently need many more.
| | | 📝 Use the toolkit.
🖊️ Write your objection — even if it's just a paragraph or two.
📨 Encourage every adult in your household to submit their own.
| | | SMPC has done the hard work of analysing the 400+ pages of consultation documentation — now we need your voice to make our objections count.
| | | Deadline to submit objections: 23 January 2026, 5:00 PM
| | | | | | Need More Help?- No Problem
| | | Contact the Parish Office to book a place at a free objection-writing workshop — we'll guide you through it step-by-step
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