More plans to build in Arborfield have been submitted despite warnings that the village cannot cope with more development.
Three developers – Croudace Homes, Vortal Homes and Falcon Developments – have joined forces to propose a 95-home site by School Road in Arborfield Cross to Wokingham Borough Council.
The same group had plans for 120 homes in the same location refused in 2018.
Wokingham Borough Council objected to the plans, arguing it wasn’t a sustainable location, with little transport links and affordable housing proposed.
Developers have now revised plans to reduce the number of homes that could be built.
Under new plans, 40% of the new homes would be affordable, in line with the council’s higher requirement for affordable homes in the recently approved local plan.
The agricultural site, totalling 8.25 hectares, lies at the boundary of Arborfield Cross, near the Coombes Primary School. It would be near the Grade-II listed War Memorial, which developers argue housing would have ‘neutral impact’ on.
But residents have opposed the plans, calling it ‘severe overdevelopment’ for the village.
One wrote: “It will put pressure on the already overstretched local services and will push traffic onto the local roads which have been subject to closures
Residents were particularly worried about the proximity to the Coombes Primary School, with one arguing that children ‘will be put in danger, as will parents dropping off and collecting them’.
More general arguments about the potential loss of the rural countryside location were also made.
But developers have argued that location is sustainable as potential residents can access facilities, shops, a café, school and nursery in Arborfield Cross.
They also pointed out its proximity to Arborfield Green, a new village of houses, which has a supermarket, places of worship and Bohunt secondary school.
Transport links have also ‘improved’ since previous plans were rejected on these grounds. There are now bus routes from Arborfield Cross to Reading, Wokingham, Arborfield Green, Finchampstead and Barkham.
If approved, developers say they can agree with the council whether any infrastructure is needed alongside the new housing.
This would be part of a section 106 agreement, which is the legal deal between developers and councils to ensure the provision of things like schools, highways or recreational spaces alongside new homes.
In July, Wokingham Today reported from the drop-in sessions for local residents.
The application has been validated by Wokingham Borough Council, and a decision is likely to be made by the authority’s planning committee.
The consultation remains open until October 24.
You can find more details, and make a comment, by searching planning application number 242421 ojn Wokingham Borough Council’s planning portal.
