Cllr Stephen Conway, the leader of Wokingham Borough Council and executive member for housing, partnerships and the local plan, has detailed why Wokingham needs a local plan,
His forward, as part of the documents that will be considered at a full council meeting on Thursday, provides a summary of the importance of the plan.
He said: “A local plan is required to manage the process of development.
“It protects the borough against inappropriate new building, and provides a planned approach to delivering the new housing required by central government.
“A new local plan is also needed if infrastructure is to be provided at the level required to support new development.
“Wokingham Borough Council’s proposed local plan sets out a clear strategy to deliver a vision of thriving, green, and inclusive communities.
“The strategy for locating development is based on that proposed in past consultations, reinforced by further assessment and evidence gathering.
“Preparation has involved engagement with statutory bodies and neighbouring local authorities, and has had careful regard to the matters raised by town and parish councils, residents and businesses.
“While the plan owes much to the past draft proposals, it has some important new policy features. These push the boundaries further than before, as with our new higher targets for much-needed affordable housing and the new cutting-edge energy efficiency and environmental standards that we will be requiring developers to meet.
“All local plans involve difficult choices.
“I understand why people living near proposed development sites may feel unhappy, but the council has a duty to positively plan for development and in doing so protect the borough from unplanned and speculative proposals.
“We can do that only by having an up-to-date plan that allocates enough land for new housing.
“Unplanned or speculative development often comes with inadequate infrastructure.
“Our aim in the new plan is to deliver the infrastructure required to sustain population growth and to help build sustainable and healthy new communities.
“Infrastructure is secured more easily through large developments.
“Loddon Valley Garden Village, the centrepiece of the proposed local plan, remains the principal new location for development.
“It will deliver new homes near key employment locations. It will increase educational provision and provide a substantial new country park for the enjoyment of the community as well as biodiversity improvements, flooding betterment, and good connections to other areas.
“While Loddon Valley Garden Village will meet a significant portion of the new housing requirement, medium-sized and smaller sites throughout the borough will make a contribution to ensure that new housing can be delivered at a more even pace through the plan period.
“The proposed local plan also sets out to preserve key areas of the borough from inappropriate development.
“It identifies significant new areas of countryside as valued landscapes, and new sites of urban landscape importance within settlements.
“It also designates over a hundred ‘Local Green Spaces’, which have a level of protection analogous to the Green Belt in open countryside.
“I thank all those involved in preparing the plan, especially our planning officers, but also my predecessors as executive members for planning and the local plan.
“Having a new local plan in place, will enable better management of development, and allow us to prepare for the future in a considered and orderly way.”
