THOUSANDS of people have signed a petition which aims to protect the Thames Path from future development.

The petition on change.org has been set up by campaign group Save our Ancient Riverside (SOAR) which urges Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) to designate the Thames Path east of Kennet Mouth as protected Local Green Space.

It has so far, at the time of writing, gained 2,273 signatures.

The petition's page claims: "In an assessment of Kennetmouth by WBC last year, it was claimed that the "site is not considered to be of particular local significance and holds no formal recreational value.

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"The area of land is safeguarded for strategic transport network improvements, notably a high quality express bus service or mass rapid transit."

Campaigners have rallied together to express their concerns to WBC.

The page said: "Please let Wokingham Council know that this is a total misrepresentation of the community's feeling towards this beloved Green Space - a location which has been a lifeline during the pandemic."

It added: "Let them know that we want this area of land preserved as Green Space and DO NOT want to see it earmarked for a future development like the MRT - a scheme which Wokingham Council rejected after unprecedented levels of opposition."

The concerns follow a consultation in spring last year in which the public was invited to nominate local green spaces for protection.

A Local Green Space (LGS) is a label given under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) allowing greater protection to areas against future development. WBC said there is a set national criteria that has to be met to allow for such protection.

The council said there was 'a small number' of initial responses to the consulation, and of these there were eight green spaces added to the Draft Local Plan.

However, the area around Kennet Mouth was not included as the council said the nomination related to 'only a narrow strip of land between the railway line and the river' - west of Wokingham Waterside Centre - which did not meet the LGS criteria.

The council has since called for further feedback to the draft local plan and LGS designations and has had more than 100 responses - several including new areas and some with different boundaries including the Kennet Mouth area.

A council spokeswoman said: "In the Kennet Mouth area, a wider area to that originally considered has now been suggested as well as additional information provided. 

"The new wider area incorporates the open space and river frontage along the Thames, whereas the previous nomination covered only a narrow strip of land between the railway line and the river, primarily west of the Wokingham Waterside Centre."

The statement added: "We are now carefully considering everyone’s comments [on the draft local plan] as we decide how to move forward.

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"All views will be considered as we move forward and prepare for further consultation on the local plan later this year.  This includes views offered through a valid petition.  Where justified, our draft proposals will be amended to include revised or new Local Green Spaces."

The petition said signatures are welcomed from "everyone and anyone who values the environment and who believes the Thames Path is a national asset which needs protecting from unwanted development".

A summary of responses to the consultation is available on wokingham.gov.uk