MAJOR plans to build hundreds of new homes at Reading Golf Club have been met with the highest number of objections the council has ever received.

An application sent to Reading Borough Council to build 257 homes at the site in Emmer Green has been met with 3,065 objections.

A council spokesperson said they believe the response is “probably” the highest ever number of objections a local planning application has received and “certainly the highest in the past seven years”.

READ MORE: New altered plans to build hundreds of homes at Reading Golf Club slammed

The application sent to the council to build at Reading Golf Club comes after a similar proposal for 260 homes was withdrawn in December 2020 following more than 2,000 objections.

Campaign group Keep Emmer Green (KEG), previously criticised Reading Golf Club for withdrawing and submitting a plan with three homes less than the last application and 'no changes to resolve objections'.

KEG spokesman Julian Ansell previously said: “The revised plan bears remarkable similarity to the original submission.

“The new application makes no changes whatsoever to the objections raised by residents and community groups to the original plan.

“The traffic congestion and pollution will continue to increase, school places will be at a premium and the pressure on doctors' surgeries will be untenable.

“In short, the health and welfare of adults and children alike will continue to be threatened.

“KEG will be strongly opposing this unwelcome and unnecessary application which, if approved, would result in the loss of precious green space and be detrimental to the community as a whole.”

Reading Golf Club’s manager Gary Stangoe explained the club moved to its new home The Caversham, in Chazey Heath, on April 1.

He said: “We are looking forward to the next 100 years in our history there, just across the river from Tilehurst where the club started out.”

He explained the 18 Hole layout is closed but members are still playing a nine-hole course on the Emmer Green land.

Speaking about the objections to the plans he said: “The decision to move was made in September 2018 and was irreversible soon afterwards.

READ ALSO: Creator of the Banksy-style rat in Reading claims graffiti as their own

“We have always sought to have a managed exit in place that guaranteed the future of the club but also left a responsible legacy within the community.

“There will be few, if any, developments of 257 homes that offers up the new publicly accessible space, investment in medical facilities, and the new family golf centre that will come from this development.

“From contact we have received directly, we know affordable new family homes with gardens are required in Reading.

“Seeking a balance for all parties is what we have always tried to achieve and whilst we respect the concerns locally, disappointingly a lot of the objections contain mis-information from social media.

“We do believe that our plan is the best for all parties and does mitigate a number of the understandable concerns that have been raised.”

The council said its planning team are aiming for the application to be determined in June.