Plans to build a four-bed house in a quiet neighbourhood in north Reading have been delayed so councillors can visit the site.

Developer Deepsea Engineering want to build a four-bed house at Autumn Close in Emmer Green, near the border of South Oxfordshire.

But neighbours raised concerns about vehicle access, the design’s impact on the character of the area and the house overshadowing other properties.

Steve Sharp, who lives at 5 Autumn Close, spoke to Reading Borough Council’s Planning Applications committee on Wednesday (October 9), calling for “common sense and decency” towards neighbours.

He said: “The development is grand design style. It is probably more suited to the hills of Devon.

“It has vast expanses of glass looking over people’s windows. It is closer to number five than it should be.

“The big concern is vehicles. At the moment we don’t have vehicles at the rear of properties. We would have vehicles parking near to our fences.

“It changes completely the dynamics of the place by create gated community of one.”

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Conservative councillor Clare Grashoff, who represents the ward which Autumn Close resides in, spoke to the committee to highlight neighbours’ concerns.

She said her major concern was over the access to the property and how it would affect neighbours.

Councillor Jane Stanford-Beale, who sits on the committee and also represents Peppard ward, said: “It is a very nice little quiet cul-de-sac.

“It is the sort of place you would buy a house there and expect your children to be able to play out on the street quite happily.

“With this garden development with a gate set back and the high fences a car could easily emerge and not see a child playing on a scooter.”

She said the design also concerns her: “It is very large and boxy and it’s up very close to the fences so it would have a big impact on the neighbours rather than a more discreet design.”

Councillor Jo Lovelock, former leader of the council, called for the decision to be deferred to allow members of the committee to visit the site.

She said: “It is a very strangely shaped plot. I think we might only understand it if we are on site.”

Planning officers had recommended that members of the planning committee visit the site unaccompanied in September, but councillors said they had not seen the briefing note sent to them to inform them of this.

Councillors agreed to Cllr Lovelock’s proposal and will now visit the site prior to next month’s meeting on Wednesday, November 13 at 6.30pm.