Outline planning application for the development of up to 70 homes (including affordable housing), new vehicular access, associated parking and landscaping (all matters reserved except for access).

Further to Minute 48 of the meeting held on 7 January 2026, the Committee considered a report on the above application. The report assessed only the elements of the proposed cross-boundary development that fell within Reading Borough, namely the vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access points that connected to a wider development of up to 70 homes located in South Oxfordshire (PL/25/0731 (ADJ) (SODC ref P25/S1431/O) – see also Minute 26 of the meeting held on 5 November 2025).

The main body of the residential development was located outside Reading Borough, and South Oxfordshire District Council’s (SODC) Planning Committee had refused that part of application on 3 December 2025. The reasons for refusal were set out in the report, and a copy of the SODC Planning Committee report was appended at Appendix 1.

The Committee was informed that, following the refusal, the applicant had lodged a joint appeal with the Planning Inspectorate for both authorities’ applications and had appealed the Reading Borough application on the grounds of non-determination (also see Minute 53 above). The report explained that the Planning Inspectorate had confirmed that a joint appeal would be held and would be determined by means of a Public Inquiry.

The report explained that once the applicant had lodged the non-determination appeal the Council, as the Local Planning Authority (LPA), could no longer issue a decision on the application, the responsibility for which now lay with the Planning Inspectorate. The report therefore set out the assessment of the proposal and what the officer recommendation would have been had the LPA still had the opportunity to determine the planning application. Whilst the Committee was no longer able to decide the application it was nevertheless still necessary for it to confirm the decision that it would have made if it had been able to determine the planning application. This would the become the Council’s case to present to the Planning Inspectorate in respect of the forthcoming appeal.    

An update report was tabled at the meeting which set out additional representations received since the publication of the agenda and gave an update on transport and highways-related matters.

At the meeting the Committee agreed to increase the required Section 106 contribution from the £50,000 recommended by officers to £150,000 to help mitigate the impact of the development on traffic. The Committee noted that it had previously indicated that it would be seeking a £150,000 Section 106 contribution towards towards transport improvements when it had submitted its comments to SODC on the South Oxfordshire element of the application (see Minute 36 of the meeting held on 11 November 2025), and confirmed that it still wished to seek the same amount for the Reading application.

An additional condition was agreed at the meeting to require the appropriate routing of service vehicles to minimise adverse impacts on surrounding streets.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Nick Haskins, Chair of Caversham & District Residents Association (CADRA), and Dan Winchester, speaking on behalf of a group of residents living on Kidmore Road, attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on the application.

Resolved –

(1)           That it be confirmed that, had the Committee been able to determine application, it would have resolved the following:

(i)             That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services be authorised to grant outline planning permission, subject to the satisfactory completion of a Section 106 legal agreement to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the original report, subject to the financial contribution towards upgrading of the operating system and/or improvements to the pedestrian and cycle facilities at the junction of Peppard Road / Henley Street / Westfield Road / Prospect Street being £150,000 not £50,000;

(ii)            That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services be authorised to make such minor changes to the conditions, Heads of Terms and details of the legal agreement as may reasonably be required to issue the permission;

(iii)          That, in the event of the requirements set out not being met, the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services be authorised to refuse permission;

(iv)          That the planning permission be subject to the conditions and informatives recommended in the original report, together with an additional condition requiring the appropriate routing of service vehicles.