HALL FARM’S place in the forthcoming local plan update – where homes will be built in Wokingham borough up to 2036 – continues to see residents raise questions at council meetings.
The previous administration had announced plans to build homes on the site after the Grazeley market village scheme was nixed by the Ministry of Defence.
The new partnership, in charge of the council since May, has been worked on revisions following consultation earlier this year.
Resident Jan Heard said that the University of Reading, which owns the land, was still focusing on building 4,500 homes.
“At what point will Wokingham Borough Council make clear to the university that this plan is unacceptable to the Council?” she asked.
Cllr Lindsay Ferris, the executive member for planning and the local plan, said the council was looking carefully at its options to ensure the local plan would pass public examination and he couldn’t pre-determine the process.
“I can assure you that we are going into this process open minded, and that we will carefully consider all the views that have been expressed by residents, alongside those stakeholders and importantly, the technical evidence that must guide us to the best and most sustainable locations for new development,” he said.
This included flood resilience – important as Halls Farm does flood during heavy rain.
“I believe it will be difficult, if not impossible, to know the impacts of climate change could have on future water levels this far ahead. This could put into doubt the sustainability of such developments,” he said.
Responding, Ms Heard pointed out that before the local elections, the Liberal Democrats had “made various public commitments”, including that they opposed Hall Farm on the grounds of flood risk.
The council had also considered a planning application without a neighbourhood plan, she said, adding she was concerned there was not enough scrutiny in the process.
“Is this a sign that voters are getting a raw deal from the coalition?” she asked.
Cllr Ferris reminded Ms Heard it was a partnership rather than a coalition.
On the neighbourhood plans, he said these needed to fit in with the local plan, with the executive approving the consultations for Twyford and Finchampstead later in the meeting.
The next question was from Paul Stevens, who wanted to understand more about whether Hall Farm would be a political decision or an officer-led one.
“Any decisions made on the local plan must be based on evidence,” council leader Cllr Clive Jones, adding that officers are impartial and politically neutral.
“In terms of the local plan, decisions on the sites to be included in the new local plan will be made by councillors but they should be made having regarded the best professional advice from officers.”
Cllr Jones added that the council was trying to reduce the government’s housing targets.
“This has been made all the more difficult by having to deal with three secretaries of state for levelling up housing and community since we took over the administration in May,” he said.
Mr Stevens said there was group called Hall Farm Developments in negotiation with local landowners.
“Will the executive ensure that any discussion between council officers and developers is publicly disclosed … to ensure the local plan consultation is fully transparent?”
Cllr Jones said he was unaware of the development group and would find out more, and pledged to be as transparent as possible.
Cllr Ferris added: “Our discussions between the University of Reading and Wokingham Borough Council have been ongoing for a while.”
