WBC have recently issued their “Right Homes, Right Places” document about the “Local Plan” which is the “blueprint for development” – in other words, where the next tranche of thousands of houses are going to be built to satisfy central government imposed targets.
The Draft Local Plan documents are extensive, and ERA would like to draw your attention to sites located in the Emmbrook area identified for future development in the Draft Local Plan:
Land on North West Side of Old Forest Road
There is a new site “recommended for development” in what we call Emmbrook but is officially Winnersh. This site is off Old Forest Road, in the area between Ashton Road and Toutley Road and situated between Old Forest Road and the NDR. What is proposed is 35 dwellings. The land is owned by the “Winnersh Fuel Allotment Trust” of which Libdem councillor Prue Bray is a Trustee. Prue has said, in answer to my request for information, “we have in mind something for key workers or similar but certainly to be affordable and for local people, to be built on the piece of land that is currently the site compound, and thus will be inside the arm of the new road and no longer in the countryside. We are looking at bungalows or small houses, not blocks of flats. We haven’t completely ruled out almshouses”
Land East of Toutley Depot
This site is in the current Local Plan and is being carried over into the new plan. This is adjacent to the depot at the bottom of Old Forest Road, and is for 100 dwellings.
So, 135 more dwellings for our area on top of the 760 already being built at Matthewsgreen, the Wayside development and the development on the old Hewdens site – and of course the NDR. Residents may think “enough is enough”
At this stage it is a broad “plan” and any actual development in the future would be subject to submission of planning applications and the opportunity to respond with comments at that time. However. you may wish to express an opinion now and possibly influence the plan. If you do, time is short. You have until 20th March only.
Want more information?
Go to https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/news-and-consultation/consultation-and-having-your-say/current-consultations/?entryid206=509097
Want to make comment?
Go to https://wokinghamboroughcouncil.researchfeedback.net/s.asp?k=158028720442
You can also send comments direct to [email protected]
You may find the attached response from a local resident of use when formulating any comments.
Views of your ward councillors on the plans as they affect our area?
The ERA has asked ward councillors for their views, noting the ERA’s intention to communicate with members and local residents. No opinions have yet been provided by councillors.
If you want to tell them what YOU think, then you can email them as follows: [email protected]
[email protected]
i[email protected]
Why do they even go through the pretence of giving us a consultation? They have absolutely no intention of honouring anything we say. Case in point. The NDR options for Emmbrook that we voted for some years back. 80% of the residents wanted and voted for a different option to the one they implemented, which was a fait accomplit. This will be no different as clearly indicated by the fact that they now have regraded the field. It is no longer countryside since they have put the NDR through it and so are free to build houses on it. Laughable.