THE AMOUNT of affordable housing in the Elms Field development was queried by resident Peter Humphreys at the virtual meeting of Wokingham Borough Council, held on Thursday, March 18.
He wanted to know why, when the council required 35% affordable housing quotes on major planning applications, this didn’t apply to the town centre plans, owned by the council.
On the shops, he said that the council had provided a glowing account of the financial side of the project in response to a question he had asked at the last meeting.
“You painted such a rosy picture, claiming 90% of the units have been let … businesses are so keen to be a part of the place that they are not even bothering to fit-out their empty units,” he said.
Responding, Cllr Charlotte Haitham-Taylor, the executive member for regeneration, said the council had been open about the limited amount of affordable housing in Elms Field, while there were 22 keyworker homes in Peach Place.
“The community benefits of the regeneration are so much bigger than anything anyone who wasn’t the local authority would provide,” she said.
As to the shops, she said: “A simple walk around the town would show someone that the majority of the regeneration units are already up and trading, or simply waiting for permission to reopen their doors.”
