This page covers major planning initiatives that affect our parish.
For help on planning issues you can contact John Heggadon, the chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee.
The University of Reading have submitted three major planning applications for development in Shinfield:
| F/2010/1428 | Full application | Eastern Relief Road to bypass Shinfield Village |
| O/2010/1432 | Outline application | Residential development consisting of 1350 dwellings and associated infrastructure (school, foodstore, community centre,etc) all to the south west of the village |
| F/2010/1434 | Full application | Set up of a SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) in an area to the east of Shinfield and south of the Arborfield Road bordering the River Loddon |
The university has submitted these plans despite the current position regarding the masterplanning for this area, which is that WBC have put this on hold (see the next section).
You can view the plans online, in Spencers Wood library, at the WBC Council Offices or at Shinfield Parish Hall (mornings only).
The deadline for responding to these applications is now past. However, WBC are obliged to accommodate any subsequently submitted observations right up until determination, which is unlikely to be before October. See the WBC website or the letter you have received from WBC (if you live in the affected area) for information on how to respond.
The Parish Council has responded to all three applications. You can view our responses here.
As part of its Local Development Framework (LDF), which provides a structure and methodology for large-scale district planning, Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) have produced a Core Strategy detailing how they will fufll the requirement emanating from central government for 12,460 houses and accompanying infrastructure to be built in the borough in the period to 2026. This document was approved by the borough council in January 2010.
The Core Strategy states that development will be mainly concentrated (10,000 houses) in four Strategic Development Locations or SDLs. One of these, the South of the M4 SDL, encompasses much of our parish - Shinfield village, Spencers Wood, Three Mile Cross and Ryeish Green.
The final draft of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that describes the preferred option for how the development will take place was issued for consultation during a six-week period which ended on 23rd March.
To view the plans and find out more go to http://www2.wokingham.gov.uk/environment/planning/ldf/local-development-scheme
Shinfield Parish Council members are unhappy with the proposals and have made their collective view felt in a covering letter plus a detailed letter written for us by Dr. Wendy Le-Las, Planning Consultant to the National Association of Local Councils. The Parish Council also distributed a flyer explaining the situation in more detail to residents, and you can download it here.
A consortium of the southern parishes (Arborfield, Barkham, Finchampstead, Shinfield and Swallowfield) has been working on collective action to ensure that WBC members fully understand our concerns.
WBC was intending to consider the Adoption of Supplementary Planning Documents for the Strategic Development Locations at The Executive Meeting on 24 June 2010. But they have released the following statement:
The new Secretary of State for Communities has announced his intention to abolish the Regional Spatial Strategies and return decision making on housing numbers to Local Authorities. We await further details of the changes to be made to the planning system and have put on hold the further progress of the Masterplans and Infrastructure documents for the Strategic Development Locations as a result. We also understand that the Secretary of State for Defence is unable to confirm the position on Arborfield Garrison until later in the year.
Partnership for Renewables, in conjunction with the University of Reading, is working on a project to build four wind turbines on land between Shinfield and Arborfield, just south of the M4. These will provide renewable energy which will feed directly into the national grid. The plans are nearing completion and they hope to submit a planning application to build the wind turbines in the autumn. For more information on the project, contact the council or visit the project's website.
The University of Reading has submitted an application to WBC for a Science Park to be built on land to the north of Cutbush Lane. WBC have approved the whole scheme in outline, with the associated access arrangements approved in full, but all subject to endorsement by the Government Office for the South East (GOSE). For more information see the Science Park Consultation website.
The Oxford Diocese has submitted an outline application for up to 175 dwellings with associated playspace, landscaping and access, plus a suitable alternative natural greenspace (SANG). The land is adjacent to the Churchfields development, and lies to the north-west of the village. Local views on this proposal expressed during the first consultation on the South of the M4 SPD were broadly in favour of development in this area. The WBC Planning Committee turned down this application at the meeting on 28th April. The Oxford Diocese are likely to take it to appeal.
Here is a list of dates on which WBC's Planning Committee will meet in 2010. Residents may have a three-minute slot at the beginning of the meeting in which to voice their views. Meetings start at 7.00 pm. For further information on planning see WBC's website pages on planning.
21 July
18 Aug
15 Sep
13 Oct
10 Nov
8 Dec