A fight over the fate of the Reading Golf Course is looming as the council’s planning officer has recommended a 223 home development on the site for approval.
Late last year, developers Fairfax and the gulf club owners submitted a fresh plan to build 223 homes on the golf course off Kidmore End Road, after a previous application for 257 homes was refused following an avalanche of over 3000 objections.
Now, in what could be seen as a coup for the developers, council planning officer Matt Burns has recommended the most recent plan for approval.
The approval would be given on the condition that the developers invest millions in Reading.
These contributions would include £550,000 towards local healthcare, £135,000 to carbon off-setting, £557,500 towards open space and leisure facilities in Emmer Green, £50,000 to make appropriate changes to increase the capacity of the junction of Peppard Road, Prospect Street, Henley Road and Westfield Road and an undefined sum to improve the junction of Peppard Road, Kiln Road and Caversham Park Road.
READ MORE: Reading Golf Club plans met with over 4,000 objections
Mr Burns acknowledged the building phase would cause significant disruption, but stated evidence submitted by the developers showed that the disruption could be sufficiently mitigated.
Ultimately, Mr Burns concluded that the developers had, on balance, ‘overcome the previous reasons for refusal’ and therefore recommended that the most recent plan be approved.
A spokesperson for the developers said: “We are pleased that the Council have recommended approval.
“This follows an extensive and diligent redesign to reduce the number of properties which has significantly increased the amount of green space.
“Additionally, the development now provides considerably more homes that are suitable for families along with much needed affordable houses.”
On the other hand, the Keep Emmer Green campaign (KEG), which has fought the proposals from the outset, accused the developers of ‘bully boy tactics’ by launching an appeal against the refusal of its previous plan to build 257 homes by the council’s planning committee last July.
The appeal appeared on the Government’s planning inspectorate website on Monday, February 21, and can be found using reference APP/E0345/W/22/3291615.
Campaigner Ian Morgan also slammed the recommended approval, calling it ‘unexpected’.
Mr Morgan said: “KEG believes there is an attempt to rush the application through without proper scrutiny.
“What has changed from the previous application? Very little; the development will still build over 33 acres of open green space, despite objections from numerous wildlife groups.
“It gives the Council less as well, with only 15 truly affordable properties that are three bed and over.
“The only other thing that has changed is that the developer has threatened an appeal, so why are Council officers running scared?
“This development is three times larger than proposed in the local plan, so when did the Council become so worried about protecting its own written policy? What is the point of a local plan if it is not used as reference?”
READ MORE: Campaigner blasts developer's arguments for 223 homes at former Reading Golf Club site
Of the 67 affordable homes proposed 12 four-bedroom homes and four three-bedroom homes would be affordable by shared ownership, and two four-bedroom homes and 11 three-bedroom homes would be made affordable through social rent.
The Reading Local Plan envisages a 90 to 130 home development for Reading Golf Club, but it also identifies space for a total of 700 homes in the ‘north Reading area’.
Mr Morgan continued: “The residents Emmer Green and Caversham should realise that the Council are set to willfully ignore the valid concerns of over 4,500 objectors to this disastrous planning application.
“We hope that our Councillors are as shocked as we are, and despite recommendation will stick their necks out and refuse these damaging plans on the March 2.
“Reading Borough Council had aimed for a ‘city of parks and rivers’ by the end of the decade but if the Council continue down the same route residents will be stuck with a city and very little else.”
KEG is set to hold a demonstration at 6pm on March 2 outside the council offices.
You can view all documents associated with the plan by typing reference 211843 into the council’s planning portal here: http://planning.reading.gov.uk/fastweb_PL/welcome.asp
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