The site location is included in AWE Burghfield’s Emergency Planning Zone
PLANS TO build a 15,000 home garden city in Grazeley have been scrapped, following objections from the Ministry of Defence.
Back in March, Wokingham.Today reported the emergency planning zone around AWE Burghfield had been extended, to include all of the proposed Grazeley development, parts of Spencers Wood, Three Mile Cross and Shinfield.
Now, the borough council said it is looking at alternatives, after objections from the Defence Nuclear Organisation, part of the Ministry of Defence.
“This is a disappointment,” said Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning. “We believed a garden town at Grazeley was a great way to provide homes local people need in a way that would safeguard our environmental and economic future.
“It seems that perhaps the Ministry of Defence isn’t in step with other parts of the government, as they awarded Grazeley garden city status in 2019.”
He said the council has other “strong possibilities” to explore — and will bring new proposals to residents next year.
AWE’s site in Burghfield is a former munitions factory where warheads are assembled and maintained while in service, and decommissioned when out of service. It is one of four sites run by AWE.
In March, West Berkshire Council said the emergency planning zones at AWE Burghfield were updated because of changes introduced as a result of the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 (REPPIR 19).
The same month, the £250 million of national Government funding, which was to be used for infrastructure in Grazeley was scrapped.
The spring Budget declared the bulk of Housing Infrastructure Funding (HIF) would go to projects in the north of the UK, where demand for homes is lower, and more financial support is needed for local councils.
Although it had not been officially confirmed, the leader of the borough council was almost certain at the time that funding would have been approved for the garden town scheme.
