• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Cllr Nagi Nagella, Labour ward member for Norreys.

    ‘Poor communication’ over new speed limits

    It made the announcement on July 1.

    No more tweets from Wokingham council

    Cllr Lou Timlin, town major of Wokingham, at the new SAFA superstore in Peach Street. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Mayor welcomes new businesses

    offices in Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames and Reading. Pic: Charlotte Snowden.

    Top ten award for law firm

    Among the highlights heading to Richfield Avenue this year are (from left) Chappell Roan, Lola Young, and AJ Tracey. Pictures: Justin Higuchi, Sophie Jones, Dijana Capan

    Five absolutely unmissable acts coming to Reading Festival this summer

    The test alert will be sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones and compatible tablets.

    Emergency alert testing in September

    James Cook, managing director at Cardo (South & Central).

    New contract for Cardo in Wokingham

    An Ofwat report shows that more than 600 million litres a day are lost through leaks, as Thames Water puts the hosepipe ban into force. Picture: Harry Grout, via Unsplash

    Thames Water: use water wisely

    Emergency services have announced that they have left the scene of a fire following an incident in Whitley Wood Road on Sunday, February 16.

    Man charged with sexual assaults

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Reading FC

    Coach snubs Reading FC assistant manager offer to join Premier League club

    Reading FC

    Reading FC sign striker on loan from Brighton

    Reading FC

    Reading FC sign defender on loan from Manchester City

    Tyler Bindon

    Former Reading FC manager Ruben Selles reunites with Tyler Bindon

    Wokingham Town face Binfield in the FA Cup.

    FA draws revealed

    Rams

    Rutherford swaps San Diego for Sonning after signing for Rams RFC

    Oratary Cricket

    Retiring Oratory School teacher takes final wicket

    Bracknell Cheerleading

    Bracknell Cheer teams win big and secure places at US competition

    Reading FC

    Nine young Reading FC players sign new contracts

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    Cllr Nagi Nagella, Labour ward member for Norreys.

    ‘Poor communication’ over new speed limits

    It made the announcement on July 1.

    No more tweets from Wokingham council

    Cllr Lou Timlin, town major of Wokingham, at the new SAFA superstore in Peach Street. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Mayor welcomes new businesses

    The test alert will be sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones and compatible tablets.

    Emergency alert testing in September

    An Ofwat report shows that more than 600 million litres a day are lost through leaks, as Thames Water puts the hosepipe ban into force. Picture: Harry Grout, via Unsplash

    Thames Water: use water wisely

    With the success of this year?s event, the Trust is already looking forward to future opportunities.

    Circle Trust comes together to showcase students’ talents

    Liz Chaderton is exhibiting at Dinton Pastures.

    Works from Hurst artist on show

    The National Lottery has raised millions for good causes and community projects across the Reading and Wokingham areas Picture: Pixabay

    Are you a community lottery winner?

    Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service reports that it is still attending the scene of a fire at commercial premises which broke out earlier today, Wednesday, February 12. Picture: Steve Smyth

    Fire crews attend fire in Arborfield

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Cllr Lou Timlin, town major of Wokingham, at the new SAFA superstore in Peach Street. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Mayor welcomes new businesses

    Liz Chaderton is exhibiting at Dinton Pastures.

    Works from Hurst artist on show

    Visitors can come face to face with life-size animal recreations.

    Go wild at The Lexicon

    A bereavement memorial service at All Saints Church, Wokingham will remember loved ones. All welcome. Picture: Rodney Hart

    Church Notes: Mothers care

    Pixabay

    Honest Motherhood: Goodbye For Now

    Sparkle Vegan market takes place in Wokingham on the second Sunday of each month. Picture: Kranich17 via Pixabay

    Find vegan products at a Wokingham market

    It will feature displays from expert growers and enthusiasts from across the region.

    Wokingham to welcome regional fuchsia show

    The project will upgrade 100 social homes throughout the borough. Pic: WBC.

    £1.5m to make social housing more efficient

    Since it first opened its doors, Wokingham Repair Cafe has been rescuing a range of broken items from going to landfill. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Get things fixed in Wokingham

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    Liz Chaderton is exhibiting at Dinton Pastures.

    Works from Hurst artist on show

    Visitors can come face to face with life-size animal recreations.

    Go wild at The Lexicon

    Sparkle Vegan market takes place in Wokingham on the second Sunday of each month. Picture: Kranich17 via Pixabay

    Find vegan products at a Wokingham market

    It will feature displays from expert growers and enthusiasts from across the region.

    Wokingham to welcome regional fuchsia show

    REVIEW: “Jesus Christ Superstar” at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury

    PAMELA RAITH

    REVIEW: Death Comes to Pemberley at The Mill at Sonning

    Crowds are expected, so queuing systems will be in place. Pic: GWR.

    Take the train to Henley Regatta

    Wokingham Station

    Wokingham Station to celebrate 200 years of railways with new artwork

    The Wokingham Theatre in the Park was held in Elms Field on Saturday.

    Popular event returns to Elms Field

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Call to save Woodley’s final remaining link to the airfields

by Phil Creighton
October 14, 2021
in Featured, Woodley
woodley airfield

The art deco building on Headley Road East that Woodley residents want to save from potential demolition Picture: Phil Creighton

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

WOODLEY residents are calling for one of its remaining links with its history to be saved from the axe, after a planning application was submitted to redevelop parts of the airfield site.

Under the plans, the Adwest site off Headley Road East would be demolished and replaced with newer industrial units.

Part of this site is an art deco building dating back to the 1930s, the last link to the Miles Aircraft Company. It was also home to the Miles Martin Pen Company, the first factory in the UK to create biro pens.

Since the application went live on Wokingham Borough Council’s planning website, residents have been uniting in a bid to see this building saved.

Polls on a number of social media pages show an overwhelming support for the building to be saved, even though it is not listed. And scores of comments have been uploaded to the council’s website, objecting to the plans.

One resident said it would be a sacrilege to pull the building down. “I am shocked that the developers are allowed to pull down a historically important building, the last link to Woodley’s aero engineering heritage.”

Related posts

‘Poor communication’ over new speed limits

No more tweets from Wokingham council

Residents’ concerns also include the new larger industrial buildings backing on to nearby housing, additional traffic concerns and noise and light pollution.

These views were shared by Bulmershe and Whitegates ward councillor Shirley Boyt (Lab), who said that residents were concerned over the amount of lorries that the application could generate if passed, as well as the loss of the art deco building.

“I think there is a case (for saving it). It is the last remaining building from the old Woodley aerodrome days,” she added. “The Miles aircraft factory was very, very important in aviation because they built aircraft there, ran an RAF training school during the Second World War, and so on.”

Cllr Boyt said that she asked borough council’s planning department if they had prepared a heritage impact statement for the work, but was told that it was not necessary, and they would instead consult its conservation and urban design officer.

“The buildings might not be up to modern standards, but this frontage could be saved, or they could turn the space into an art gallery with some history of the Woodley aerodrome. Woodley hasn’t got much in the way of amenities for the size of it. Something like this could be made to be a great thing.”

Woodley Town Council leader Cllr Keith Baker (Con), was also keen to save the building if possible.

He said: “I think every opportunity needs to be taken to try and protect the heritage of Woodley with respect to the aircraft industry. The town council’s planning committee will be looking at it.

“There is a fine balance between protecting our heritage and allowing appropriate change.”

Another person who wanted to save the buildings was Julian Temple, who has written the definitive history of airfield, Wings Over Woodley. It charts the story of the entire site including the buildings. He also helped in the creation of the Museum of Berkshire Aviation. He is now an aviation heritage consultant.

“There are a lot of aircraft enthusiasts would like to see some of that site preserved, ideally the front office building to be retained even if it could not be officially listed.

“If demolition does go ahead, there will be nothing physically left of the old airfield. There’s not even a memorial or a plaque or anything, apart from the museum on the southern boundary of what was the airfield.”

He felt that keeping the art deco buildings would mean that Woodley residents would have a living monument to the town’s history.

“They certainly contributed a huge amount to the war efforts by a providing a large number of aircraft that the RAF desperately needed,” he said. “When the war started, a lot of pilots were trained here.”

Mr Temple was unsurprised at the level of support the campaigns, which are in their infancy, have received. “It’s gratifying there is public interest and support,” he added.

Cllr Boyt added a message to the developers: “Listen to the residents. Go back to the site, look into it and come up with a proposal for saving this building for alternative use, and recognise its importance to the community.”

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Shinfield school celebrates its official opening … a year late thanks to covid

Next Post

Earley Town Council recommends Swallows Meadow plan for refusal again

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Philip Boardman, 78, from Earley, a former chairman of the Our Lady of Peace Social Club in Wokingham Road, Earley. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Memories as Earley social club closes after 45 years of running

July 5, 2025
Padel

The Barns at Wellington raises more than £1,000 in an afternoon for Thrive at Charity Padel Tournament

July 4, 2025
Reading FC

Reading FC set to sign left-back on loan

July 4, 2025
Bracknell Cheerleading

Bracknell Cheer teams win big and secure places at US competition

July 5, 2025
The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is continuing its support for the UK?s Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness week with a new campaign.

Royal Berks Fire and Rescue begins new campaign aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour

July 3, 2025
Among the highlights heading to Richfield Avenue this year are (from left) Chappell Roan, Lola Young, and AJ Tracey. Pictures: Justin Higuchi, Sophie Jones, Dijana Capan

Five absolutely unmissable acts coming to Reading Festival this summer

July 9, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.