Time’s almost up for Thatcham residents to have say on proposed Main Modifications of West Berkshire Local Plan

Time is nearly up for Thatcham residents to share their comments on the West Berkshire Local Plan.

West Berkshire Council opened an eight-week public consultation before Christmas on the proposed Main Modifications to the Local Plan Review (2022-2041) – which ends at midnight this Friday (January 31).

The district council invited residents to make representations on four documents – not on the Local Plan itself.

Arguably the most important is the Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications to the LPR prepared by the council, which are required to ensure the plan is sound and legally compliant.

For Thatcham, a total of 2,500 homes have already been proposed in the north east of the town as part of the Labour Government’s (largely) optimistic drive to build 1.5 million new homes nationwide over the next five years.

Another 225 homes have been allocated on land at Henwick Park and 45 homes on land east of Regency Park Hotel – not forgetting the 91 homes currently being built on land at Lower Way. In all, a significant expansion for the market town.

Thatcham Town Council approved its 43-page consultation response at its full council meeting on Monday (January 27).

Chairman of planning and highways Simon Pike (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) summarised the town council’s response saying: “One new element that is not widely known is called the trajectory, the rate at which houses will be built (1,760 houses within the current planning period).

“I therefore suggest that a third option (of 1,760 homes) should be considered, because that would deliver the housing allocation required within the period of the Local Plan.”

And concerning the two new allocated sites, he continued: “I've made some comments particularly about the sustainability appraisal, where I think some of the assessments of WBC are rather optimistic in terms of the sustainability.”

He added the former Newbury Leisure Park site should be included within the settlement boundary to make it more suitable for redevelopment.

“And related to that,” he continued, “the Inspector proposed that the Colthrop Industrial Estate be included in the settlement boundary. I've made representations to the possible implications in terms of housing within that area.

“The comment we made about North East Thatcham was to strengthen the long-term security of the country park that is proposed, because another document the council is referencing called the Vision 2050 suggests that would be suitable for (subsequent) development.

“So, I've strengthened that, and I've now proposed the same wording be applied to the two sites around the Regency Park Hotel.”

The other key points in the proposed Main Modifications that concern Thatcham are summarised below:

- A surface water drainage strategy will be required for all development in Thatcham and Newbury regardless of their size

- At least 40 per cent of dwellings will be affordable housing, while three per cent will include serviced custom/self-build plots at the Thatcham North East Strategic Development Site

- The site must include primary healthcare infrastructure, agreed with the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board. Further feasibility work should be carried out in collaboration with the BOB ICB at the applicant’s expense.

- Early years and primary school provision on site, with land and build costs provided by applicant

- Secondary school and SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision

- Indoor facility for sports and community uses

- Conservation of ancient woodland

- Area to create buffer between development and Upper Bucklebury

- Development must be supported by an energy statement and sustainability statement

- Flood risk assessments must be carried out to ensure there is no detrimental impact on flood risk

- Protect and maintain flood alleviation measures already on site

- Development must be supported by landscape and visual impact assessment to determine requirements for green infrastructure and public open space

- A supplementary planning document will be prepared by the council to guide the development.

- Approximately half the site will be set aside as green infrastructure

- Measures will be provided to mitigate impact on local road network around Henwick and Regency Park developments, which may include widening of Heath Lane and Bowling Green Road fronting the site, and to improve accessibility via non-car transport modes

- Area to create buffer between Thatcham and Cold Ash

Visit https://www.westberks.gov.uk/lpr-proposed-main-modifications to view the complete list of proposed modifications and documents.

Submit your comments on the proposed main modifications to planningpolicy@westberks.gov.uk

Or post to: Planning Policy Team, Development and Housing, West Berkshire District Council, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD.

The results of the consultation are due to be released on March 31, 2025.

The Planning Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, will consider all of the representations and the council's responses to each before finalising and issuing his Examination Report.

Further hearing sessions are unlikely.

Once he concludes the plan is sound, WBC can then adopt it.