One of the borough’s much loved country parks has been added to a list of potential development sites.
Dinton Pastures in Hurst is just one of several council owned areas that has been placed on the recently released Call For Sites document.
This week, the council has said it has no intention to build, or allow to be built, any houses on Dinton Pastures Country Park but over the next 20 years there could be improvements to the site, including “potentially building new facilities, including leisure buildings”.
Also on the list is Grays Farm, which is already earmarked to be turned into football pitches, Winnersh Allotments and the Millennium Arboretum also in Winnersh.
The council has also submitted Woodlands Avenue in Woodley, Winnersh Farm and Wheatsheaf Close.
The Call For Sites was a project that forms part of the borough’s new Local Plan and aims to set out how the borough will develop over the next 20 years.
The call for sites list aims to identify and allocate sufficient land for housing, employment, leisure and other uses.
The council removed from the process any assets it owned under three hectares in size, public open spaces and woodlands. They also eschewed areas within the floodplain and farms with a succession clause.
Dinton is a large area of 16.59 hectares and used by families, dog walkers and leisure seekers. Its facilities include cafes, watersports and a large playground.
Sites to be individually assessed
However, speaking at a meeting of the Council’s Executive last week, Cllr Mark Ashwell, said that it was too early to say how the lands will be used.
Liberal Democrat councillor Prue Bray had asked the Executive Member for Planning and Regeneration to explain site by site how much of the land would remain open space.
Cllr Ashwell said: “Your question is premature. The Council has put these sites forward in response to a call for sites within the Local Plan Update Process. These sites will be individually assessed as part of that process.
“This assessment will provide information to help enable any decision on the mix of buildings verses open space.
“The Local Plan covers the period to 2036 which means that any such decisions can be made as needs must over the next 20 years.”
However, Cllr Bray press Cllr Ashwell for clarity, raising the sensitive nature of building of sites like Dinton and Woodlands Avenue in Woodley.
“Are you imagining that you will put any buildings in there or are you primarily thinking that they are green space and they should remain largely green space?” she asked.
Cllr Ashwell again stated that the question was premature.
“There is a two-year assessment process in effect to build up to an Inspector looking at our Local Plan Update so the question is premature as we do not imagine anything but we have put our sites forward in good faith,” he said.
The Call For Sites list is now being investigated. All council submitted sites will be reviewed by consultants. They will assess the physical site constraints, potential impacts on landscapes, and submitting evidence to an inspector at a local plan examination.
The report considered on by the Executive last week said “it is estimated that this could cost up to £20,000 for each site that is proposed”.
Dinton and Grays Farm for leisure use
We understand that the Council is earmarking Dinton and Grays Farm for leisure use.
However, Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Prue Bray, is not convinced that Dinton will be left as a green space.
Speaking to The Wokingham Paper, she said: “The Council has put it forward for leisure use. You can certainly have buildings for leisure: restaurants, a gym, those sorts of things.
“There’s nothing to say you couldn’t put some little houses around the edges.
“The 21st Century Council plan says that parks must pay for itself or they will be chopped. It suggests that there will be more things at Dinton that people will have to pay for.
“We suspect they will want to put houses on the edge, it is possible, but I don’t know.”
Council statement
In a statement, the Council moved to reassure residents of its desire to protect Dinton by making further improvements to the park including “potentially building new facilities, including leisure buildings”.
The statement said: “We want to reassure our residents and visitors that Dinton Pastures is not under any threat and will remain our premier country park.
“In recent years we have invested significantly in Dinton Pastures’ with improvements to our play area, catering facilities and activity centre and have seen the number of people enjoying the park go up and up. We intend to continue this pattern of improvement while being mindful of Dinton’s special appeal as our prime leisure destination.
“Dinton Pastures has been put forward for ‘leisure use’ as part of the Local Plan Update Call for Sites. If it is designated for leisure use, we would be able to invest in further improvements, potentially improving existing facilities but also potentially building new facilities, including leisure buildings, over the next 20 years.
“We have no firm plans for what may be needed to continue to retain Dinton Pastures as our premier leisure location, but we do know that any new buildings will not be houses.
“As we have done in the past, we would consult on any new leisure facilities that could be provided at Dinton Pastures and they would also have to gain planning permission.”
