PLANS TO build a new care home as part of a new housing development in Wokingham have been paused to give time to access a viable alternative due to rising costs.
“Basically, this is an item we can no longer afford to do in the way that was envisaged,” said Cllr Prue Bray, at a meeting of the ruling executive, held on Thursday, June 29.
“Planning permission has been granted but the home is now coming up more expensive.”
The council’s plans for the Toutley East development include social housing and net zero carbon homes. With the increase in costs, there is now more risk, and the council want to make some money from the scheme.
As such, there were some different options for the council to consider, including stopping the care home, reviewing how else it could be delivered, and exploring how best to deliver social housing.
Homes would need to be built to net zero standards, and the executive approved market testing on costs to help inform their decision making.
Cllr Lindsay Ferris said it was expected the government would update building control arrangements by 2025, which would affect anything built after that date, and this needed to be taken on board when discussions were made about the site.
