Neighbours’ views are being sought on changes to hugely important policies that will shape development in Reading until 2041.

Reading Borough Council is engaging in an essential update to the Local Plan it adopted in 2019.

The council has now begun a mandatory consultation into planning policies and the 45 changes that have been made to the Local Plan.

The policies and changes will help inform decisions on planning applications up to 2041.

In a briefing interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Micky Leng, lead councillor for planning and assets, stated the plan update contains planning policies on a whole range of issues making the consultation an important opportunity for residents to give their views.

Cllr Leng (Labour, Whitley) said:  “The Local Plan, I think, is the most strategic document that the council produces. It’s a statutory duty that it is kept up to date.

“Residents and councillors will all have a focus on what we are most interested in.

“It could be biodiversity net gain, it could be the affordable housing element, build-to-rent schemes, cycle routes, infrastructure, EV charging points.”

Cllr Leng has encouraged neighbours to voice their opinions on what is contained in the partial update and answer questions for matters important to them in the questionnaire.

As well as policy changes, some of the updates to the Local Plan are factual as they relate to developments being delivered and other changes that have occurred from 2019 until now.

Cllr Leng said: “Some of the updates are only tweaks, examples of sites being removed from the site list because they’ve already been developed, and green space no longer being designated green space because we’ve had a school built there i.e at Mapledurham [Playing Fields].”

The council is welcoming any comments residents may have.

These responses must be submitted before the deadline of the consultation at 5pm on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.

You can complete an online questionnaire to answer specific questions using the Consult Reading website.

The online questionnaire can be accessed via a link on the local plan update webpage.

Alternatively, you can respond more generally in writing by email or post.

These responses should be sent to: planningpolicy@reading.gov.uk or Planning Policy Team, Reading Borough Council, Civic Offices, Bridge Street, RG1 2LU.

The council is also holding drop-in events to talk about the partial update with a planning officer in more detail.

These events are walk-in, walk-out so there is no need to book.

The sessions will be held at the civic offices in the main reception on Thursday, December 7 from 1pm to 6pm, and Monday,  December 11 from 2pm to 7pm.