PL/25/1570/ADJ - Proposal: Hybrid planning application 252498 (part in full, part in outline) comprising outline application for: up to 2,800 residential units to include up to 100 custom and self-build plots; 2 primary schools (up to 3 forms of entry) to include early years provision and 1 secondary school (up to 12 forms of entry); one District Centre, to incorporate up to 11,000m2 of Class E (Commercial, Business and Service, to include a food store of around 2,500m2), and Class F (Local Community and Learning); one Local Centre, to incorporate up to 2,400m2 of Class E; a Sports Hub to include sports pitches and pavilion space; up to 4,250m2 of further Class E, Class F, and sui generis development to include commercial, health care and public house; associated green infrastructure, landscaping, public open space, play areas, and ecological enhancement measures; 20 gypsy and traveller pitches; drainage and flood alleviation measures to include Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) and engineering measures within Loddon Valley for the River Loddon; associated highway / transport / supporting infrastructure including spine road, pedestrian and cycle connections; associated utilities, infrastructure, and engineering works, including the undergrounding of overhead lines and an electricity substation; up to 0.5ha of land adjoining St Bartholomew’s Church for use as cemetery. All matters reserved other than access, incorporating: access to highways, incorporating: a new pedestrian, cycle and vehicular access to Lower Earley Way via a new 4th arm to the Meldreth Way roundabout; a new pedestrian, cycle and vehicular bridge over the M4; a new pedestrian, cycle and vehicular bridge over the River Loddon; a new vehicular access to the A327 Reading Road, via a new arm to the Observer Way roundabout; a new pedestrian, cycle and vehicular access to Thames Valley Science Park; Phase 1 of internal roads including pedestrian / cycle routes, associated infrastructure, drainage and landscaping.

PL/25/1651/ADJ - Outline planning application with all matters reserved other than principal access from Mole Road, for up to 430 dwellings, associated infrastructure to include a connection through to the proposed Spine Road, ref. 252498, new pedestrian cycle link connecting Byway ARB03 Carter’s Hill Lane and Byway ARB08 Ellis’s Hill, associated landscaping to include formal and informal public open space, biodiversity enhancements and associated utilities, infrastructure, and engineering works.

The Committee considered a report on adjacent authority consultations from Wokingham Borough Council regarding the above applications.

A verbal update was given at the meeting correcting an error in the report, explaining that the references to Paragraphs 116 and 117 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NFFP) in the recommended reason for objection were from the old NPPF and these should be updated to Policies TR4 and TR6 of the new NPPF.

Resolved –

(1)        That Wokingham Borough Council be informed that Reading Borough Council raised an objection to both applications PL/25/1570 and PL/25/1651 for the following reason:

·       Insufficient information has been submitted with the planning application to enable the highways, traffic and transportation implications of the proposed development to be fully assessed (this includes insufficient information relating air quality (AQMA) impacts upon Reading from additional traffic resulting from the development and arboricultural and noise impacts from off-site highway mitigation works proposed to take place within Reading). From the information submitted, it is considered that the additional traffic likely to be generated by the proposal would adversely affect the safety and flow of users of the existing road network within Reading, contrary to Policy CP6 of the Adopted Wokingham Core Strategy and Policies TR4 and TR6of the National Planning Policy Framework.

(2)        That Wokingham Borough Council be informed that Reading Borough Council (RBC) requested for both applications PL/25/1570 and PL/25/1651 that:

(a)      There should be appropriate provision within the proposal, or through suitable off-site mitigation measures, to address the demands of new residents in terms of education, health and leisure facilities, in order to ensure that the proposal does not negatively impact on the infrastructure within RBC and that there should be appropriate liaison with RBC and other relevant organisations in the delivery of appropriate infrastructure provision to support the proposal. Such provision should be appropriately phased to support the level of development coming forward. If it cannot be demonstrated to RBC’s satisfaction that suitable mitigation would be provided and secured by WBC as part of the proposals, then RBC may require contributions towards similar facilities within the south of the Borough that could be impacted by the additional housing proposed so close to Reading.

(b)      In the event that WBC is minded to approve, RBC would need to be party to any s106 agreement(s) that secures mitigation measures within Reading Borough.

(3)        That Wokingham Borough Council be sent a copy of the report for their information and use.