Spencers Wood: Nuclear weapons pose risk to proposed new homes

Nuclear weapons could jeopardise plans to build nearly 500 homes on the outskirts of a village, the city council has warned.

The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) – Britain's only manufacturer of nuclear warheads – has opposed the development near Spencers Wood in Berkshire.

He told Wokingham Borough Council that residents would be living in an area at risk of a “radiological emergency” if something went wrong at his nearby Burghfield site.

Proposals for the site also include a primary school and green space.

Development consultancy Pegasus Group submitted plans in May for a project of up to 475 homes.

But in a letter to the council, AWE said the plans raised “significant” safety concerns.

She said the proposed site, between Basingstoke Lane and Sussex Lane, was within its detailed emergency planning zone (DEPZ).

This is an area where neighboring West Berkshire Council needs to have a detailed plan for its response to a nuclear emergency at Burghfield.

AWE said: “Although the chances of a radiological emergency at AWE B are very low, the potential impact on the local population would be high and an appropriate and proportionate measure would be, where possible, to avoid further developments are located in the DEPZ. »

She added that the increasing population in the area would also put a strain on the ability of emergency services to help existing residents in an emergency.

Wokingham Borough Council's own emergency planning officer also said he would likely oppose the proposals if Richborough developers applied for planning permission.

He said the new development would have a “negative impact” on his emergency plan to help people living in the DEPZ.