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Many more homes than originally planned will need to be delivered in West Berkshire over the coming years as a result of instructions from the Planning Inspector.
 Proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework
Yesterday the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner issued a statement opening a consultation on proposed changes to the to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This introduces new, mandatory housing targets for all local authorities in England.
The proposed changes also dictate the use of a different method to calculate Local Housing Need which results in West Berkshire having the highest percentage of increase in Berkshire - more than doubling the current local housing need figure.
West Berkshire Council will be responding to the consultation in due course.
Local Plan Review
The announcement from central Government coincides with the publication of the Inspectors interim findings of the Public Examination of West Berkshire's Local Plan Review - an overarching set of policies which outlines how the district develops in the coming years.
The Planning Inspectorate has today published its interim findings. These call for immediate modifications to the Plan from which the Council allocates housing development across the district.
The Inspector has not yet reached a conclusion on what the overall housing land supply should be, but notes that overall, there would be a significant shortfall in the supply of homes compared to the minimum requirement of 9,270 new homes for the period 2023 to 2041.
The Council must therefore move to increase the number of homes proposed at North East Thatcham and put forward additional sites to boost the housing land supply for the district.
Speaking about the Planning Inspector's instructions, Councillor Denise Gaines, West Berkshire's Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Planning and Housing said:
"In terms of housing figures, the increase is rather a bombshell for West Berkshire.
"It does feel like a real blow to local democracy that means the course for future development and the number of homes built in West Berkshire will be determined by Westminster and not by us.
"We feel very strongly that local decisions should be made by local people and want our communities to have a strong voice on what happens in their district. To this end, we will continue to work to ensure that each and every development offers the most benefits to our residents in terms of the environment, positive infrastructure such as roads, schools and GP surgeries and the highest level of affordable housing."
More information and reaction to this issue is available in the West Berkshire Council newsroom.
You can sign up to receive updates on the Local Plan Review by email here.
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Councillor Justin Pemberton appointed to Executive |
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At last week's Executive meeting, 25 July, Councillor Justin Pemberton was appointed to the Council's Executive.
Councillor Pemberton takes over from new MP Lee Dillon as Executive Member for Public Safety and Community Engagement.
Councillor Pemberton said: "I'm honoured to step into this important role. Our communities are the heart of our society, and their safety and well-being are paramount. I am committed to furthering our relationship with residents and ensuring that every voice is heard and valued."
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 We’re thrilled to be the first UK council to complete its trial and make Kerbo Charge available to all our residents!
You can now charge your electric vehicles from home with Kerbo Charge EV charging channels, saving up to £1,100 a year compared to public charging!
Here's how it works: when you want to charge your car, you simply insert your charging cable into the channel, and the specially designed lid closes behind it like a zip, eliminating unsightly and hazardous cables stretching across footpaths.
You can also apply for £350 off the installation cost with the new EV cross-pavement government grant.
 Last week, one of our waste collection vehicles caught fire on Equine Way, Newbury due to a vape being discarded in a household’s rubbish bin.
When vapes aren’t disposed of responsibly, there's a chance they could cause fires, risking the lives of collection and depot operatives, firefighters and members of the public. It can also cause millions of pounds worth of damage.
If you use a product containing a lithium-ion battery, including vapes, please ensure that you dispose of the product responsibly. Vapes can be taken to various drop off points across the district including any shop selling them. They can also be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) in Newtown Newbury and Padworth.
If visiting our HWRC please book an appointment and make sure you’re registered for a permit.
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Keep up to date on road closures in your area by using the map of roadworks, including those of utility companies, on our website to plan your journeys. Click the link below for more information.
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 To date, we’ve approved over £1 million in community grants ranging from £10k to £100k. These include the renovation of village halls, scout huts and improvements to sports and playground facilities.
We're now allocating a further £500k of capital funding from our budget and are inviting bids from community groups, Town and Parish Councils and organisations wanting to deliver infrastructure to benefit residents and local businesses.
Bids are open until 5pm on 16 September. More information and bid forms are available here.
 As the summer holidays begin, why not use local buses to get out and about with family and friends. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by where you can go, and also by how affordable it is to travel.
The Connect ticket range offers great value for money on day, weekly, monthly and group tickets. Over the summer holiday period (29 July to 1 September 2024) we’ll be offering reduced fares on the day and group tickets. See more information on our website.
The National Single £2 Fare Cap, the Early Bird Concessionary Fare Ticket and other ticket improvements are also available on local buses.
The reduced fares summer offer for the Connect ticket range has been made possible by funding from HM Government, given to West Berkshire Council after submission of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021.
 Time is ticking to sign up for Solar Together and transform your home with solar energy.
Do you know how much you could save on your bills by installing solar panels? Find out by registering for the Solar Together Scheme before Friday 9 August. You will receive a free personal estimate based on your energy needs and roof type.
If you're interested in using solar power but have been put off by the cost or complexity of doing it alone, this scheme is for you. By joining forces with other people in your area, you can save money on solar panels and enjoy a hassle-free experience.
Work is due to begin at Shaw House to restore the historic gates which were destroyed in an unfortunate incident with a coach last year.
Whilst there has been lots of work going on off-site at a local blacksmith to repair the significant damage to the iron work, visitors will soon see the beginnings of the full restoration in-situ.
Please bear with us whilst work is taking place, we will share more updates through the summer months.
In the meantime visitors can continue to use the main car park. Pedestrians and blue badge users can also continue to use the historic entrance whilst it’s being repaired.
And, as always, coaches and large vehicles should only use the main car park and by arrangement please!
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We value your views on the decisions we take. There are several areas we are currently holding consultations on, including:
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 The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is looking at options for a new Royal Berkshire Hospital as part of the government’s New Hospital Programme.
The Trust have identified two sites which could be suitable and want to understand the impact for staff, patients and the wider community including residents and local businesses if the hospital moves.
The two potential sites they are seeking your views on are:
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Thames Valley Park at the end of A329M – 2.2 miles north east of the current site between East Reading and Woodley
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Thames Valley Science Park – 3.7 miles south east of the current site off the M4 near Shinfield
Please fill in the survey to have your say or email bbt@royalberkshire.nhs.uk with your feedback. For further details including a map of the sites please click here.
 It's Love Parks Week and we're so lucky to live in a district filled with beautiful open spaces!
Our green spaces are the perfect place for peace and quiet, to escape the bustle of everyday life and to learn about nature. We have peaceful woodlands and nature reserves including Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre and Lake Nature Reserve, and Greenham and Crookham Commons. Why not take some time to visit, relax, and notice the changing seasons and unique features of each site.
We are also pleased to announce that Linear Park in Calcot and Northcroft and Goldwell Park in Newbury have again won the Green Flag Award from Keep Britain Tidy for another year! The Green Flag Award recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
See below just some of the things our parks have to offer:
- There’s a human story behind all our public open spaces and parks, with many interesting archaeological and historical sites to see in them These range from the prehistoric banks crossing Snelsmore Common, to the Cold War structures on Greenham Common. Much of our Shaw Riverside Park is even designated by Historic England as a Registered Park associated with the Tudor Shaw House. For more information, check out the West Berkshire Historic Environment Record or browse the selection of fascinating features on our online map.
- We're developing fruit orchards within our parks and open spaces, the most recent being planted with Almond Avenue and Shaw Riverside Park. You can scrump the apples in the orchards at Almond Avenue, Linear Park (Hawkesbury Drive) and Stroud Green
- The Lambourn Valley chalk stream runs through Shaw Riverside Park. England's chalk streams are one of the rarest habitats on earth. Their crystal clear waters are still home to salmon, otters, water voles and kingfishers.
- The independently managed Lockdown Woods group have planted trees on Goldwell Park to commemorate those lost to Covid 19. This planting is now rapidly developing into a future pocket woodland for the public to enjoy and reflect
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- Many of our parks and open spaces are used as locations for physical fitness. No matter your level of fitness, there are spaces where you can be active outside. Across West Berkshire we have free-to-use outdoor gyms, multi-use games areas, a pump track (Goldwell Park, Newbury) and at Northcroft of course we have a recently refurbished lido. To find out more about keeping active and healthy, please see our sports, leisure and countryside pages
- And of course, please do use our parks for picnics, gatherings and dog walks. All we ask is that you look after our green spaces and take your rubbish home with you.
To find out more about our parks and countryside, please visit our countryside page here.
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The Shaw House open air sculpture exhibition ‘Altered States’ will open this weekend until 29 September.
Visitors can take a stroll around the Orangery Lawn for free from 11am - 4pm and follow a trail of artworks by acclaimed sculptors. All works on display will be available for purchase.
The House, shop and café will be open at weekends and throughout the school summer holidays. For more information about the exhibiting artists, click here.
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Fostering team at Mayor of Thatcham's Garden Party |
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Join our fostering team next Tuesday, 6 August, in the Jubilee Sensory Garden in Thatcham from 2 - 4pm for a community cuppa with the Mayor of Thatcham, Councillor Suzanne Adamantos.
Enjoy live music, a cake sale, and a prize-winning raffle to support Thatcham Youth and Cruse Bereavement Support. Come by to learn how fostering can make a difference in children’s lives at our fostering awareness stand.
Want to find out more about fostering? Click here.
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And finally...
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