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Message Board 22.01.2012
Development Watch Group vacancies
To help to continue the work of the group in protecting the semi-rural character of Barkham against the threat of encroaching urbanisation, we are looking for additional team members to strengthen the group.
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact any member of the BVRA committee.
Message Board 29.10.2011
Turkey and pig farm in The Coombes
The buildings on the turkey and pig farm in The Coombes include a mobile home for the accommodation of an agricultural worker's family. Permission for the structure was given in July 2009 for a temporary period of three years.
A planning application has now been submitted for permission to build a permanent agricultural worker's dwelling (2,100 sq. ft.) and detached double garage. The ground floor rooms would include a dining room, lounge, family snug, study and utility. The first floor accommodation would include three bedrooms (two en suite).
To see the application documents on the WBC website, please click here. These include plans and drawings of the proposed dwelling. To see a summary of the planning history of the site, please click here.
Any comments on the application should be sent to Wokingham Borough Council (ref. F/2011/2071)
by email at development.control@wokingham.gov.uk or by post to
Development Control, Wokingham Borough Council, Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN.
There is also a comment form on the WBC website.
The planning issues arising include:
- the scale, form and appearance of the proposed dwelling;
- the impact on the quality and character of the surrounding countryside;
- location of the house within an Area of Special Landscape Importance;
- whether the size of the proposed dwelling is commensurate with the agricultural needs of the turkey and pig farm.
The deadline for receipt of comments is Wednesday 9th November.
Message Board 1.10.2011
New WBC public consultation on non-SDL sites
Wokingham Borough Council has launched a further public consultation on where to build an additional 1,500 houses in the locality outside the 4 SDLs.
As you know, 30 sites in, or immediately adjacent to, Barkham, with the capacity for 3,160 dwellings, have been put forward by developers.
To see a list of the sites by residential area please click here and to see a plan of the location of the sites please click here.
For a map of specific sites in and around Barkham Hill please click here. (This map does not cover School Road or Langley Common).
Although comments on specific sites were invited in the recent consultation in July on the Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD), this was only one question (Q3) out of 183.
There is therefore the opportunity of a 'second bite of the cherry'. The deadline for public comments is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday 12 October.
The sites to be developed outside the 4 SDLs will be selected by the WBC Executive at a meeting on 27 October, although there will be a further public consultation on the sites chosen.
Sustainability appraisals
The latest consultation focuses on the potential for 'sustainable' development of each of the sites outside the SDLs which has been put forward.
The WBC consultation document (803 pages) contains spread sheets with pro forma sustainability appraisals of all the sites submitted. To see the sustainability appraisals on the 30 Barkham sites please click here.
It is readily apparent from the spread sheets that the sustainability appraisals amount to little more than a bland box-ticking exercise, and there is little difference between the appraisals of any of the sites.
Impact on Barkham
It is clear that:
(a) The green spaces around Barkham Hill and Langley Common are under direct threat of being built on. Virtually all the sites submitted on Barkham Road and in Sandy Bottom (behind Elizabeth Park) are in countryside adjacent to, but currently beyond, development limits, raising the prospect of Barkham Hill effectively becoming part of Wokingham.
(b) Further development will inevitably result in yet more traffic along residential roads in Barkham, which are already at full capacity at peak times, especially Barkham Road and Bearwood Road. This will be in addition to trying to cope with the extra traffic generated by the 3,500-5,000 new houses and flats to be built at Arborfield Garrison.
Have your Say
It is important to maximise our impact, especially in the light of the Government's proposals to relax planning controls to allow more development in the countryside.
It would therefore be very helpful if you could:
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re-submit your comments on specific sites to Wokingham Borough Council, with any additional points you would like to make; and
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submit new comments on one or two other sites close to where you live.
If you did not send any comments on specific sites in Barkham in July, you may care to send comments on (say) three or four sites close to where you live by reference to the list of sites by residential area above.
To help you to do this, you may like to refer to the briefing notes on individual sites attached.
The message that needs to be driven home to Wokingham Borough Council is that the residents of Barkham wish to see Barkham's semi-rural character protected from encroaching urbanisation. The building of more new houses on 'greenfield' sites in, or adjacent to, Barkham is therefore unacceptable.
In particular, it is essential that the Council should be urged to designate the area between Barkham Hill and Wokingham as a green gap separating the two settlements.
Comments may be sent to WBC by email to the Land Use and Transport Team at mdd@wokingham.gov.uk or by letter addressed to:
Land Use and Transport Team,
Policy and Partnerships,
Wokingham Borough Council,
PO Box 157,
Shute End,
Wokingham,
RG40 1WR
The deadline for making comments to WBC is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday 12 October.
Message Board 16.07.2011
'Have your Say' on the revised WBC Masterplans for Arborfield Garrison SDL and infrastructure delivery
This is a new consultation by Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) on revised masterplans for the four SDLs and infrastructure delivery. The consultation on the revised plans is a direct consequence of the legal challenge by the Southern Parishes Planning Group, which includes Barkham Parish Council.
Accordingly, all previous comments to WBC on the masterplans are invalid and need to be re-submitted in order to be taken into account. The deadline for public comments is Wednesday 27 July. To see the revised masterplan for Arborfield Garrison SDL please click here and to see the revised infrastructure masterplan please click here.
Key Issues
1. Arborfield Cross bypass
It is common ground that a bypass around Arborfield Cross needs to be completed before 750 new houses are built (2015). This is essential to avoid major congestion at Arborfield Cross and even more traffic using residential roads through Barkham.
WBC now seems to be in danger of backtracking on the issue of a bypass. Whereas the plans in the previous masterplan indicated that the area to the north-west of the SDL was the "General location of proposed Arborfield Bypass", the corresponding plans in the revised masterplan instead refer to "Improvements to Arborfield Cross junction or new by-pass needed beyond 750 homes".
While WBC say that a bypass is their preferred option, they are not prepared to commit to build a bypass at this stage and admit that there is a lot of work still to be done.
The time frame for building a major new road is at least 4/5 years from inception to completion, yet the route for the bypass has not even been determined. WBC say they expect the developers to fund the estimated construction costs of £9 million, but who is to pay the costs of the acquisition of land and environmental mitigation - impliedly the ratepayers? How realistic is the estimate of construction costs when the route is not even known?
Wokingham Borough Council therefore needs to be urged to commit to build a bypass without further procrastination and to ensure that the cost is borne by the developers. Detailed project planning should begin immediately.
2. Barkham Bridge
WBC is proposing that there should be works to improve the capacity of the single lane Barkham Bridge on the Barkham Road either by traffic light control or by building a new two-way bridge.
Some form of traffic calming in order to improve safety, such as traffic lights, would be welcome, but any widening of the bridge designed to make Barkham Road a major access route for the SDL should be strongly opposed.
If the pinch point at Barkham Bridge were to be removed, more pressure would be put on residential roads in Barkham, increasing the likelihood of Langley Common Road, Barkham Road and Bearwood Road becoming main access roads for the SDL.
It should also be noted that towards the western end of Barkham Road, from the Coppid Hill mini-roundabout to The Bull mini-roundabout, the Barkham Road carries both the main east-west and south-north (Barkham Street/Bearwood Road) transport routes through Barkham.
3. Local road network; level crossing
There is serious concern that residential roads will be used as main arteries to reach the SDL. It is likely that Langley Common Road, Barkham Road and Bearwood Road will all have to carry significant increases in traffic. Ideally Langley Common Road and the SDL 'spine' road (Biggs Lane) should meet at the Bramshill roundabout, encouraging traffic in the direction of the A327 and the proposed Arborfield Cross bypass.
Barkham Road is not suitable as a key 'corridor' into Wokingham, it is a residential road with little possibility of widening at critical points for a bus priority lane or cycle track, and School Road should not carry more through traffic, especially past the primary and junior schools where there is already traffic calming.
There appear to be no plans to improve the level crossing on the Barkham Road side of Wokingham station notwithstanding the chronic traffic congestion. At the very least, the existing layout including the mini-roundabout should be replaced by a traffic light scheme synchronised with the opening and closing of the level crossing.
Parts of the SDL are going to be a building site for at least 15 years. Construction traffic should be prohibited from using residential roads through Barkham and restricted to using the A327.
4. Access to/from the SDL; Bramshill Hunt roundabout
As regards the north-west 'gateway' to the new settlement, the masterplans propose that access should be via Langley Common Road at the junction with Biggs Lane, which would be the 'spine' road through the northern part of the SDL. The masterplans do not appear to envisage any improvements at this junction.
Unrestricted access to/from Langley Common Road would be highly unsatisfactory, and put more pressure on residential roads in Barkham. The lack of direct access from the north of the SDL to the A327 increases the likelihood of Langley Common Road, Barkham Road, Bearwood Road and School Road becoming main access roads for the SDL.
The northern 'gateway' to the new settlement ought to be the Bramshill Hunt roundabout on the A327, with the northern end of the Baird Road service road acting as a link to/from Biggs Lane. Traffic could be discouraged from using Langley Common Road by making it a 'T' junction off Biggs Lane.
5. Sewage works
The issue of the capacity of the sewage treatment works must be resolved. Thames Water advised WBC some 4 years ago that the sewage works need a major upgrade if not the provision of new sewage treatment works to provide adequate capacity. This will require a long lead time: Thames Water have indicated this could be as much as 8-10 years.
The revised infrastructure masterplan, like the previous version, simply says that discussions with Thames Water are ongoing. After 4 years WBC ought to know whether there is a need to update or replace the sewage works and WBC should be urged to give the resolution of this issue the highest priority.
6. Recreational space
It is unclear in whom ownership, and responsibility for the maintenance, of open spaces in the SDL will be vested. It is essential that playing fields and other open spaces are safeguarded in perpetuity against the risk of future development. The allocated recreational space is vulnerable to the possibility of further development as Wokingham Borough Council and the developers do not regard 3,500 new dwellings as a maximum. The best way to achieve this is to ensure that the playing fields (school and public) and open spaces are owned by the community.
Have your Say
Wokingham Borough Council needs to be given a clear message by the residents of Barkham that building 3,500 new dwellings at Arborfield Garrison without adequate transport and other infrastructure, in particular an Arborfield Cross bypass, is unacceptable.
Please 'Have your Say' by making your views known to Wokingham Borough Council and urge your neighbours (or ask other members of your household) to do the same to maximise our impact.
Comments may be sent by letter or email. Click here to download a model covering letter/email.
This website also contains guidance on making comments in the form of briefing notes on the most important issues. Click here to download these briefing notes.
The model covering letter/email and briefing notes are editable Word '.doc' documents. Hard copies are available at Barkham Post Office.
Please feel free to incorporate any of the points in the briefing notes in your comments, preferably using your own words. It is probably better to concentrate on making a limited number of key points well, so you may wish to limit your comments to (say) 3 to 6 issues.
Comments may be sent to WBC by email to the Masterplanning Team at spd@wokingham.gov.uk or by letter addressed to:
Cris Lancaster,
Masterplanning Team,
Policy and Partnerships,
Wokingham Borough Council,
PO Box 157,
Shute End,
Wokingham,
RG40 1WR
Alternatively, responses may be hand delivered to Barkham Post Office which will arrange delivery to WBC on your behalf.
The deadline for making comments to WBC is midnight on Wednesday 27 July.
Message Board 16.07.2011
WBC consultation on sites for more new houses
Draft Options for the Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD)
In addition to building 10,000 new homes in the 4 strategic development locations (SDLs), including 3,500 new homes at Arborfield Garrison, Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) is now consulting on where to build a further 1,000 homes in the locality. The deadline for public comments is Wednesday 27 July. To see the draft MDD DPD please click here.
30 sites in, or immediately adjacent to, Barkham, with the capacity for 3,160 dwellings, have been put forward by landowners and developers. To see a list of the sites by residential area please click here and to see a plan of the location of the sites please click here. For a map of specific sites in and around Barkham Hill please click here. (This map does not cover School Road or Langley Common).
Overview of WBC proposals
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550 of the additional dwellings are to be built in major development locations (e.g. Winnersh) and 350 in modest development locations (e.g. Finchampstead North). The overall quota for the 8 villages, including Barkham, which constitute 'limited' development locations is 100 houses by 2026 (50 in 2011-16 and 50 in 2021-26).
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Planning permissions for 552 new dwellings outside SDLs have been granted by WBC in 2008-2011. The Council favours off-setting these approvals against the non-SDL target of 1,000 dwellings. The residual quota for 'limited' development locations is 70 dwellings.
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If, taking account of 2008-2011 approvals, the residual housing targets were to be re-distributed in line with the original percentage split between the 3 categories, the figure for 'limited' development locations (10%) would be 49 rather than 70.
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WBC also needs to identify a number of 'reserve sites' for development post-2026 which can be released early if there is a need to maintain a five-year supply of building land. The proportionate contribution of the 'limited' development locations to reserve sites is 50 dwellings.
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WBC proposes that developments in the 'limited' development locations should be no less than 5 and no more than 25 dwellings.
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WBC proposes that small developments of between 1 to 4 dwellings will be in addition to the quotas. This raises the prospect of development creep above the numbers sanctioned by the Core Strategy, as WBC has no power to refuse planning applications for non-allocated sites which tick all the boxes. This could have a large impact on small settlements like Barkham.
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Despite being a SDL, Arborfield Garrison would also be categorised as a 'modest' development location. This would permit further developments of 100 houses in, or adjacent to, Arborfield Garrison (e.g. Barkham Square).
WBC also proposes to modify existing development limits around settlements by incorporating:
- sites granted planning permission since 2004; and
- sites allocated under the MDD DPD.
As virtually all the 30 non-SDL sites put forward in, or immediately adjacent to, Barkham are 'greenfield', the proposal would give WBC considerable latitude to extend settlement limits into the countryside.
While under the Core Strategy the average build rate is 661 dwellings per annum, WBC recently commissioned a report from consultants on options for housing targets up to 2026, which recommends building 700-790 new dwellings per annum.
The proposals as they affect Barkham
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To build 100 houses in the 8 villages, including Barkham, which constitute 'limited' development locations (maximum development size 25 houses).
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To designate 'reserve' sites for 50 more houses.
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To permit developments up to 100 houses in Barkham adjacent to Arborfield Garrison (e.g. Barkham Square) and Finchampstead North (e.g. Barkham Ride).
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No limit on small developments (1-4 houses), which would be outside new building quotas.
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Changes to the development limits for Barkham Hill which would encroach further into the surrounding countryside.
The Key Issues:
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Virtually all of the 30 sites put forward are in countryside.
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Virtually none of the sites meets the sustainability criteria proposed by WBC (e.g. close proximity to a primary school, surgery, supermarket, employment, 'good' public transport).
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Why should there be more housing developments in Barkham when around half of Arborfield Garrison is in Barkham parish?
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Threat to the physical and visual separation of Barkham from neighbouring settlements and to the separate identity of Barkham.
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Additional sites immediately adjacent to Arborfield Garrison SDL (e.g. Barkham Square) should not be permitted.
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Small developments (1-4 houses) should count against development quotas.
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Development limits of Barkham Hill should not be extended into the adjacent countryside.
Have your Say
WBC is seeking comments on the draft proposals, as well as on the suitability of individual sites submitted, through a consultation form in the format of a questionnaire.
To see the WBC questionnaire please click here.
Wokingham Borough Council needs to be given a clear message by the residents of Barkham that building more new houses on 'greenfield' sites in, or immediately adjacent to, Barkham is unacceptable.
Please 'Have your Say' by making your views known to the Borough Council and urge your neighbours (or ask other members of your household) to do the same to maximise our impact.
You may find it convenient to use the consultation form attached, which contains model responses to 22 of the 183 questions which seem particularly relevant to Barkham.
To avoid standard responses, it would be helpful if you could delete comments which you do not consider to be important and adapt other responses using your own words to better reflect your own views as appropriate.
You may also wish to comment on the suitability of some of the sites submitted as invited by Q3. In this case, please refer to the briefing notes on individual sites attached. It is suggested that you send comments on (say) three or four sites close to where you live by reference to the list of sites by residential area above. These comments may be set out in an appendix to the consultation form or you may write separately if you prefer. Again, please feel free to adapt and try to use your own words as much as possible. It is probably better to concentrate on making a limited number of key points well.
The consultation form and briefing notes on non-SDL sites are editable Word '.doc' documents.
Comments may be sent to WBC as email attachments to the Land Use and Transport Team at Mdd@wokingham.gov.uk or by letter addressed to:
Land Use and Transport Team,
Policy and Partnerships,
Wokingham Borough Council,
PO Box 157,
Shute End,
Wokingham,
RG40 1WR
There is also a shorter consultation form with pre-completed responses, copies of which are available at Barkham Post Office. This has no facility to add comments on individual sites. To see the shorter form, please click here.
If you do not wish to respond by email, responses may be hand delivered to Barkham Post Office which will arrange delivery to WBC on your behalf.
The deadline for making comments to WBC is midnight on Wednesday 27 July.