A revised outline planning application for up to 350 homes on land in Barkham has been submitted to Wokingham Borough Council.
Original plans were submitted in September 2022 for the 76-acre site off Barkham Road and Blagrove Lane, and received widespread objections from local residents.
Planning agents Lichfield, acting for its clients Berkeley Strategic Land, last week re-submitted plans that now include a care home – replacing a ‘community space’ that formed part of the original application.
Access to the site would be maintained onto Barkham Road and Blagrove Lane.
In the new application, the agents said the removal of the community facility and introduction of a care home is following discussions with council officials.
“Officers highlighted that the Council really needs sites for care facilities within the Borough,” adding how the plans have been amended to address this need.
“The revised proposals include land which will be provided to the Council for a 68-bed care home, including ancillary space.
“The care home plot will be a ‘serviced site’ and will be offered to Wokingham Borough Council and its care home provider at nil cost.
“The Council will have the option to deliver the care home to help meet future adult social care requirements in the Borough, in particular for those Borough residents who require specialist care including dementia care.”
The application includes up to 350 homes, ranging in size from one-bedroom to four-bedroom properties.
Some 35% of the properties are defined as being “affordable” housing.
In a strong and lengthy objection to the earlier application, Cllr Sarah Kerr, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Evendons ward where the planned development is located, wrote: “Having a local plan allows the local planning authority to strategically plan where growth will take place and ensure the necessary infrastructure, including amenities is in place to support that growth.
“This proposal is speculative, and outside of the local plan and emerging local plan, meaning it would put increased growth into the area, above and beyond what has been planned for.” For more information use reference 222306 on Wokingham Borough Council’s planning portal.
The public consultation will end on December 7.
