 You can help us grow sustainably, not excessively
Proposed new measures could help stem overdevelopment
Fewer new homes might have to be built in Wokingham Borough if proposed changes to the national planning system go ahead – and we're urging you to have your say while the Government is still consulting.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities wants people’s views on the amendments, which it put forward in December following our sustained campaigning for a fairer deal on housing.
We think these proposals could significantly help us, and other councils in a similar position, to significantly reduce the number of homes being imposed. We encourage everyone to respond before the deadline of Thursday, 2 March.
 Getting the right number for genuine local need
Like all local planning authorities, we've got to calculate our housing need using a mathematical formula set by the Government. This gives a figure of 781 new homes a year and if we take more, we can't offset this by planning ahead for fewer.
Since 2006, Wokingham Borough has taken 1,727 more homes in total than required - and the latest proposals appear to let us take this into account when updating our local plan, reducing our new housing allocation by the same figure.
As it stands, the total requirement over a 15-year period is 11,715 new homes – or 781 a year for 15 years (see our current local plan). By accounting for previous over-provision, this could be reduced to about 10,000.
We're cautiously pleased to hear this - although the proposed amendments would have to apply to completions, and not just permissions, to have any benefit.
The proposals remove the five per cent "buffer" we have to add when annually assessing whether enough homes will be built in the next five years. This currently adds 40 homes a year, so scrapping it effectively removes another 200 homes.
 Reason to be hopeful - and now we need your help
We're required to have an up-to-date local plan, and our hope is to move forward with one based on a lower housing requirement.
This must allow for more affordable homes for our local people, and for new homes to be suitably adapted to be more energy efficient. We've pledged to do all we can to address the climate emergency and need to start planning now.
We must protect our important green spaces, ancient woodland and other open spaces for our children and beyond, as well as ensuring residents aren't affected by physical and mental health hazards like noise and air pollution.
Once the Government confirms any changes to national planning policy, we can look at the best way to move forward in line with the new rules, including where and how sites are proposed to be allocated for housing and other uses.
 Lobbying for improvements across the board
We've made representations to various Secretaries of State including Michael Gove MP, who currently holds the position, and won support from MPs Sir John Redwood (Wokingham), Theresa May (Maidenhead) and James Sunderland (Bracknell).
In the long-term, we also want to see more fundamental changes to the planning system so that housing need is assessed on a national scale instead of each council working to a standard formula.
We believe this would respect the unique character of different areas and bring more housing to others, particularly those outside the South-East, where it is more needed and communities would benefit from additional investment.
 Have your say on proposed new sports facilities
We've received a planning application for new sport facilities on land west and east of Princess Marina Drive in Arborfield Green.
This entails refurbishing the existing rugby, football and cricket pitches and demolishing the existing pavilion to replace it with a new and improved single-storey one in the same spot.
The new pavilion would have changing rooms that could be used by people using the nearby tennis courts, with a rooftop viewing area and space for socialising. Our planning and sport and leisure teams are working to ensure this meets your requirements, with further input from Sport England and others.
The proposal also includes two new play areas and a multi-use games area and allotments, plus associated measures like a new access road off Princess Marina Drive, parking, footpaths and general landscaping.
It's an outline application covering the general principle of development, with finer details to be decided through a reserved matters application. You can read more and give your views until Friday, 17 February.
 New shops and more to follow as soon as possible
These sports facilities must be provided under conditions that we imposed when we gave planning permission for 2,000 new homes at Arborfield Green, as part of our current local plan to meet housing need and Government requirements.
Another requirement is the community's new district centre with food store, pub, smaller shop units, public green space and more. Developer Crest Nicholson consulted on this twice last year and Sainsbury's recently confirmed its intention to open a new branch on the site.
Crest is now looking through your comments while finalising its design and we're working with them to ensure an application is submitted as soon as possible, at which point you can have your say again as part of our statutory consultation.
We know this is overdue, largely due to the economic impact of coronavirus and resulting delays to retail projects, and we're doing all we can to move it forward. Thanks for your patience and, as ever, we promise to keep you updated.
We've also received a reserved matters application from Crest for 135 homes on land at Arborfield Garrison which would be accessed from Biggs Lane. This includes a 20 per cent affordable element as previously agreed with the developer. Find out more and comment by Monday, 20 February.
 How could we improve your local journeys?
We'd like everyone who walks, cycles, takes public transport or drives around the borough to answer some simple questions to help us make this safer and easier as we face the challenges of the future.
Your views will guide our updated Local Transport Plan, a strategy document outlining how we maintain and improve footways, cycle lanes, roads and other routes. For a better idea, have a look at our current version which runs to 2026.
This will offer more ways of getting around and more chances to leave the car at home, especially for shorter journeys, which is essential as we strive to reduce air pollution and congestion and tackle the climate emergency.
During this initial engagement, which runs until 12 March, we’re asking your thoughts on things like more support for electric vehicles and cycle parking, or providing more space for pedestrians on pavements in village and town centres.
This will be followed by more detailed consultation, but we’d like you to take part now so the draft reflects your wants and needs from the outset.
 Government urged to extend bus funding lifeline
We're urging transport secretary Mark Harper MP to meet us and discuss extending Government funding for bus services, including those serving Arborfield and other parishes south of the M4, beyond 31 March.
The Department for Transport has extended various types of coronavirus recovery funding until then, and introduced a subsidised £2 cap on certain fares, but none of this help is confirmed from 1 April onwards.
If this isn't renewed, we can’t afford the hugely increased cost of subsidising all our local routes and will have to make tough decisions, as we’re facing unprecedented financial pressure and must protect key services like social care.
We’re doing our bit by redrafting our Bus Service Improvement Plan, a “vision” document that could help bid for funding in future. It calls for cleaner, greener, more reliable buses and further improvements to passenger satisfaction levels.
Please take the bus whenever you can – it’ll help keep services going, and it’s healthier and better for the environment too.
 Millions spent on improving communities
We secured a significant increase in developers' contributions for amenities like schools, highways and public green spaces in the 2021/22 financial year, receiving a total of £92.3million compared with £32.6million in 2020/21.
This money came through agreements made when we gave planning permission for new homes and other developments to meet local need and Government requirements, ensuring you benefit without pressure on our finances.
This is a priority as we face unprecedented challenges and must balance making savings with building strong communities and protecting essential services for those most in need, like social care or anti-poverty projects.
In 2021/22, more than £27million was spent on transport and highways including active travel schemes, with projects including Nine Mile Ride Extension, the North Wokingham Distributor Road and Winnersh Relief Road.
Other beneficiaries were the Gorse Ride housing regeneration (£14.5million) as well as our Carnival Hub project (about £2.4million) and an interactive play park at Cantley Park (almost £1million), both in Wokingham.
 Crossroad improvements to start next summer
We're aiming to start our improvements to the California crossroads, on Nine Mile Ride at Finchampstead, in summer 2024. This work is funded by contributions from developers building on the Arborfield Garrison development.
The scheme will make the junction safer and easier for cyclists and pedestrians, including children walking to Nine Mile Ride Primary School and the neighbouring pre-school, in line with our aim of promoting active and sustainable travel.
It includes shared access for pedestrians on the school approach road, which will be sectioned off with bollards, plus speed cushions, new seating near the shops, wider footways and signs warning drivers they are entering a busy village centre.
It was drawn up following extensive consultation with the community and similar layouts elsewhere have proven successful.
Working hard to deliver on time
As you may have read in recent reports, we hoped to start work this summer but this was always subject to change. We invited bids in good time, but didn't receive any because of unusually volatile market conditions.
Events here and abroad have affected material prices and supplies, so contractors can't offer fixed prices, but we've revised our contract to reflect this and will go out to tender again very soon.
As part of our duty to identify enough housing land for everyone, we want to hear from anybody who would like to suggest sites for Gypsy and Traveller use. Please respond to our call for sites by 5pm on Friday, 17 February.
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