GREENHAM AND CROOKHAM COMMONS

GREENHAM AND CROOKHAM COMMONS

Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust has applied to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for consent under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006 to carry out restricted works on Greenham and Crookham Commons. The Planning Inspectorate will decide the application on behalf of the Secretary of State. The proposed works include:

- The installation of two wildlife tunnels under the Old Thornford Road. Each of the two wildlife tunnels are 12 meters long x 0.625m wide, with 2 meters of associated wingwalls and ditching excavations at each of the tunnel entrances (8m in total).

- Two metal bollards 1m in height will be installed at each of the tunnels entrances adjacent to the highway (8 bollards in total).

- The tunnel will be made with a prefabricated channel below the road surface topped with a metal grid at the road surface level. A 1meter wide passing place for horses will be retained in the middle of the highway.

- Two lengths of metal Caudon Permanent Steel Newt Fence Panels will be
installed. The fencing is 400mm above ground with a matt grey finish. It will
be secured with 37mm x 37mm wooden stakes at 1.2meter spacing. It runs for 170 meters along the western side of the road adjacent to the existing stock fencing, and 130 meters along the eastern side of the road, set back from the road in the existing scrub.

Parking will not be impacted by the work, with exiting laybys kept open, and
no access tracks will be blocked by the fencing. Equestrian access along the
highway will still be possible through provision of a passing place over the
wildlife tunnels. The works are located outside of the grazing area, just to the south of the main entrance/car parking area on the Old Thornford Road, Crookham Common, RG19 8EU. Grid reference is SU 52090 64559. What3words///trinkets.escape. access.

A copy of the application form and accompanying documents can be inspected at West Berkshire Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury RG14 5LD during normal office hours until 22nd December 2023. A copy of the application form and accompanying documents can be viewed on BBOWT website https://www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-reserves/greenham-and-crookham-commons,or obtained by writing to Tom Hayward, BBOWT, 1 Armstrong Rd, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT.

Any representations should be sent in writing ON or BEFORE 22nd December 2023 to The Planning Inspectorate, Commons Team at 3A Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN or commonlandcasework@planninginspectorate.gov.uk.

Representations sent to The Planning Inspectorate cannot be treated as
confidential. They will be copied to the applicant and possibly to other
interested parties. To find out more about how the Planning Inspectorate uses and manages personal data, please go to the privacy notice. Tom Hayward, Senior Land Manager, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust 1 Armstrong Rd, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT. 13th November 2023