Plan for over 3000 homes in Berkshire must go ahead

A council’s Local Plan determines where new housing can be built in its area, among a range of other policies determining how development should take place.

West Berkshire Council’s Local Plan is being reviewed to determine where homes should be built until 2039.

Some of the sites suggested for development include 1,500 homes apiece for Sandleford Park in Newbury and land north east of Thatcham, as well as 100 homes being added to both Theale and Burghfield Common.

The site in Sandleford Park, near Newbury, that has been earmarked for 1,500 new homes

But the sites allocated for development were consented to by the council’s previous Conservative administration, which was defeated in the 2023 local elections with the Liberal Democrats taking power.

The council’s current administration wanted to withdraw the Local Plan in an announcement made last December.

But the government has determined that the Local Plan review process move forward, with Lee Rowley, the minister for housing, planning and building safety announcing that a government inspector’s examination of the Local Plan will go ahead.

That is despite the council’s Liberal Democrat administration’s desire to withdraw the Local Plan Review and begin work on a new one.

A map from 2021 showing land north east of Thatcham which could be built on to provide 1,500 homes. Credit: West Berkshire Council Local Plan / Ordnance Survey

In a letter to Mr Rowley, councillor Lee Dillon, the leader of West Berkshire Council, said: “The Council’s circumstances arising from the local elections in May 2023 have clearly altered what residents want to see here in West Berkshire.

“The residents of West Berkshire elected this new Council on one of its core commitments, to challenge the current Local Plan Review.”

He added that proposals for homes contained in the plan review would allow too much development on green spaces in Thatcham and Theale if it was approved by the government’s planning inspectorate.

However, cllr Dillon (Liberal Democrats, Thatcham North East) acknowledged restarting the review process would cause undue costs and delays and therefore will not oppose the review process continuing.

His letter states: “Although my colleagues and I strongly believe that this decision should be one for the Council to take in line with central government advice, promoting local decision making and engagement at a local level, especially in the context of the clear mandate from community, through the election in May 2023, the Administration have decided not to challenge intervention on this basis, but are disappointed that the Secretary of State did not offer a more nuanced position rather than a blanket ban on allowing the clear expression of local residents to be realised.”

The review of the Local Plan as put forward by the previous Conservative administration was submitted last March with a government planning inspector being appointed in May.