West Berkshire council's housing 'reluctance'
Council say they've had no choice but to add new sites for housing development
West Berkshire council say it's with great reluctance they've had to suggest a number of additional housing sites for inclusion in the Local Plan 2023 to 2041.
The Local Plan is a set of overarching planning documents which sets out, amongst other things, where and when houses will be built in the coming years. The Local Plan Review covers the period to 2041 and is currently being examined by a Planning Inspector.
On 19th November 2023, in response to the Council proposal to withdraw the local plan, the housing minister directed the Council to progress the Plan through the examination process. Following a number of public hearings, the Planning Inspector has found there is a shortfall of around 850 homes against a requirement for a minimum of 9,270 new homes to be built between 2023 and 2041. Three weeks ago, the Inspector set out the next steps for the Council to take before he can consider whether the plan is sound. These included asking the Council to suggest new sites for development to meet the shortfall - and the Council has responded to suggest the sites set out below.
Approximately 225 homes on land near Henwick Park, on Bowling Green Road in Thatcham
Approximately 45 homes near the Regency Park Hotel on Bowling Green Road in Thatcham
Approximately 138 homes on land at Pincents Lane in Tilehurst
Approximately 25 homes north of Pangbourne Hill in Pangbourne
These sites have been submitted through the local plan process as available for delivery of the new homes. To meet the Inspector's requests, West Berkshire Council has also identified an area north of Newbury which could be explored for future growth as it has the potential to deliver between 650 and 800 homes, later in the plan period (from 2034 onwards).
The Planning Inspector has also found that the site proposed at Northeast Thatcham has capacity beyond the 1,500 homes proposed and has found that to make effective use of the site this should be expanded up to 2,500 homes. Not all of these additional 1,000 homes would be built within this plan period, with the majority likely to be delivered after 2041. The final capacity of the site will be determined through the creation of a masterplan which will be developed collaboratively by the Council and developer and with comprehensive engagement with the local community.
Inherited
Speaking about these latest developments the West Berkshire Council Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing Councillor Denise Gaines, said:
"The Council has been directed by Central Government to progress the local plan through the Examination by the Inspector. At his request, we suggested new sites with great reluctance but we have been left with no choice because the Government would very probably take over the Plan process if we failed to engage at this time. We believe that these decisions should be taken by your local Council rather than at Westminster, but it is a very bitter pill to swallow. Engaging with the Planning Inspector and suggesting these sites enables us to continue to speak on behalf of local residents and doing what needs to be done in their interests.
"We inherited what we consider to be a poor Plan by the outgoing Administration and wanted to start the Plan again, but the Government intervened and directed us not to dispense with that Plan. Now we have the new Government stating that we should be building double the number of new homes per year. If we don't progress this Plan that the Inspector is deliberating upon, the Council would be forced to find sites for an even greater number of houses. It really is a poor situation for our District and our residents."
"We will consider our next steps once we have the Planning Inspector's report in the preliminary findings."
Following the submission of the information about the new sites, the Planning Inspector will consider these and issue a report with his preliminary findings. The Council will consider his report and full Council will need to agree any modifications ahead of further public consultation.