Plans for an ‘overdue’ Sainsbury’s in Arborfield have been approved, with neighbours saying they need a supermarket as ‘a matter of urgency.’

Residents of Arborfield Green, south of Arborfield, say they have to travel long distances to get to their nearest supermarket. They have been waiting years for the supermarket promised when planning permission for the new 2000-home Arborfield Green village was approved in 2015.

One resident, Philip Buckman, asked for the supermarket to be built ‘as a matter of urgency’.

He said: “This project has been talked about for too long. It's time to get it built and useful for residents here in Arborfield Green.” And Wendy Berry said a supermarket is ‘very overdue’.

READ MORE: Arborfield centre approved – but residents ‘lost faith’ in developers

Abigail Mowbray said her family of four would ‘benefit hugely’ when the supermarket is built. She said: “Seven years without a supermarket has meant a lot of online delivery vans in and out of the area, and travelling to and from Wokingham for our nearest supermarket.”

Wokingham Borough Council says delays were partly caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It approved Sainsbury’s application for planning permission on Friday, February 23, with a number of conditions.

Councillor Lindsay Ferris, in charge of planning at Wokingham Borough Council, said a new supermarket would help to reduce the number of cars on the road.

He said: “The Sainsbury’s store, in particular, will make it easier for people to pick up a range of purchases without driving or ordering online deliveries.”

The latest approval comes after plans for a new ‘village centre’ for Arborfield Green were given the go-ahead last October. But Sainsbury’s still has to cross a few more hurdles.

Reflecting the size and complexity of the 2000-home development, it had to both apply for planning permission to build the supermarket, and submit a separate application to meet conditions attached to the original plans for Arborfield Green.

The supermarket firm submitted both of these applications in November last year. But while its own application for planning permission has been approved, council planning officers say conditions relating to the Arborfield Green application still have to be met.

These include a landscape design, details about the type of brick that will be used, a survey of levels across the site, road design, cycle parking, and delivery parking.

Council planning officers sent a letter informing Sainsbury’s of everything it still needs to submit on Friday, February 23.