This week, we have received a date for the Examination in Public of Wokingham Borough’s draft Local Plan for new development. On 14th November, two Planning Inspectors will undertake hearings to assess the soundness and legal compliance of the draft Plan produced by the Liberal Democrat administration. Given the concerns that residents, your Conservative councillors, and even the Planning Inspectors themselves, have raised about this Plan, this is a critical moment.
As well as looking at criteria set out in Central Government policy, the Inspectors will also take into account the many representations that were submitted on the draft Plan that went out to consultation. I am looking forward to attending the sessions.
There are elements of the Liberal Democrats’ Local Plan that we agree with. For example, we have repeatedly said that we welcome the commitment to protect Green Belt and urban green spaces, the inclusion of affordable housing, the protection of the route for a third Thames bridge, and the commitment to physical segregation of cycle ways from roads to protect cyclists.
However, there are real and legitimate issues with the Plan – despite Liberal Democrat claims that opposition is being whipped up, and rejecting legitimate requests for clarity.
The Local Plan will affect thousands of people living in the Borough, in Barkham Square, Arborfield, Wokingham Without and in the towns and villages near Hall Farm. As I said in my submission to the Inspectors, there will be a significant impact on traffic – Hall Farm alone will add cars from almost 4,000 houses onto a road network that is already over-stretched. Many future residents will be commuting towards London on M4. The only part of the Borough connected to London via the new Elizabeth Line has in contrast little planned development. Sustainable development must have sustainable transport, yet this proposal is miles from any rail links and currently has poor road and public transport infrastructure. There is an absence of detail on how the Council intends to improve roads and transport links to handle this additional traffic – just vague promises and references to Reading station.
The Liberal Democrats campaigned against developing Hall Farm, and then when elected, included it in their Local Plan. Some Liberal Democrat councillors campaigned against development of specific sites in their wards before they were elected, and then after they were elected voted to allow more houses to be built than they’d originally opposed. By voting for the Local Plan, they voted for even more development. Liberal Democrat councillors in Earley voted unanimously to dump more traffic on Lower Earley Way. So, residents would be forgiven if they want more than just the Council’s word that their plan is sound.
The Planning Inspectors who will examine the Liberal Democrats’ Local Plan have already expressed concerns about its deliverability. They have questioned the viability of plans for infrastructure, including upgrades to the road network. They have also challenged the administration on whether the house building rate is achievable.
This is particularly important when you recognise that, thanks to the Labour Government increasing the Borough’s housing targets, the Council is going to have to go through this process all over again to produce a Plan to accommodate thousands of additional houses.
The Liberal Democrats have tried to claim this is a done deal. They said it couldn’t be amended at the same time as adding Barkham Square. The inspectors questions show that it’s not a foregone conclusion that the Planning Inspectors will simply rubber stamp this Local Plan.
If the Inspectors send the Liberal Democrats back to the drawing board on the Local Plan, the Conservatives will be ready to press residents’ case once again for changing this plan so that it’s deliverable, sustainable, and achieves what local people want. It’s time for the Liberal Democrats to start listening.
By Cllr Pauline Jorgensen
