Scepticism has been expressed over the green credentials of 223 homes coming to Reading Golf Course as developers are making progress on the project.

Housebuilding consortium Vistry Thames Valley is moving ahead with work on the golf course, which involves  preparation for construction and delivery of building materials to the site.

There are hopes that construction of the new homes can start in mid-Summer this year, with the first properties being released for sale following that.

The developers have touted ecological improvements, with Vistry planning to plant 209 native trees, a net gain of 104 trees across the site.

Measures will also be undertaken to assist wildlife, with ‘hedgehog highways’ being provided by creating gaps in fencing to allow hedgehogs to roam freely, as well as the installation of bird and bat boxes and hedgehog houses.

Additionally, bat sensitive lighting and log piles for insects will be established to provide suitable habitats for wildlife.

However, a total of 112 trees will have been cut down once the development has been completed.

It is unclear how many trees have been cut down so far as the site is closed to the public.

A campaigner who has opposed the golf course development has argued that felling trees for housing is motivated by greed.

Jennifer Leach said: “I campaigned with most of the community to stop the felling, unsuccessfully, of 112 trees on Reading Golf Course.

“We can carry on taking out pieces of nature piecemeal, and justify it by saying ‘it’s just this, it’s just that, we’ll just plant such and such to replace it.’

“What we really need to realise is that we’ve reached a point of having to make fundamental decisions about how we’re going to be living from now on in.

“I think most people want to live simpler lives, lives that are based more in nature that are happy and content.

“Or [do] we want to live in a society that puts greed first, and which overrides the nature upon which we depend for our future?

“Any viable future will depend on courageous acts of leadership carried out with integrity.”

The golf course development was approved on outline by Reading Borough Council’s planning committee in March 2022 despite more than 4,000 objections being received.

At the time, planning officer Matt Burns judged that the majority of the trees existing on the site fell into category ‘C’ or ‘U’ quality.

Category C trees are defined to be ‘low quality’ with category U trees being those which are either dead or showing substantial decline.

Mr Burns noted that the replacement trees would be medium to large in size.

Detailed applications relating to the construction process, changes to the housing mix and the appearance of the housing development were all approved by the council’s planning committee on March 29.

You can view the applications using the references below on the council’s planning portal:

230024 – construction process

221312 – changes to housing mix, energy policy and more

220930 – appearance

Vistry substantially reduced the number of homes being heated by air source heat pumps from every property to 81 following advice from energy provider SSEN.

Homes will be designated under the Bovis Homes and Linden Homes brands owned by Vistry, with 67 of the homes being categorised as affordable.

Alix Laflin, marketing manager for Vistry Thames Valley, said: “We have carefully designed the new homes we’re planning to build on the former Reading Golf Club site to ensure they are a positive addition to the local community.

“As well as the planning contributions we are making towards local infrastructure and facilities, we will also deliver a scheme of ecological enhancements within the development to ensure we create a wildlife-friendly landscape.

“New native tree planting will provide new habitats for a variety of birds and invertebrates and new wildlife habitats are also an integral part of the project.”