Plan for 54 homes between Bracknell and Wokingham refused

Developers Beaulieu Homes had hoped to build the 54 homes to the west of St Anne’s Drive just outside Wokingham, near the St Anne’s Manor Hilton Hotel.

However, the plan was refused at a Wokingham Borough Council planning meeting because of the impact it would have on the countryside that serves as a ‘buffer’ between the two towns.

Speaking at the meeting, objector David Stack said: “The development actually sits outside the settlement boundary of Wokingham.

“It also fails to demonstrate how it would maintain the separation between Wokingham and Bracknell to prevent harm to the visual amenities of the local area.”

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The plan received a total of 86 objections, including from cllr Pete Dennis (Liberal Democrats, Wescott), who argued the development would result in an unacceptable loss of trees, where Wokingham Borough Council should be ‘re-wilding’ areas for it to receive Tree Cities of the World status, which the council began applying for last month.

Cllr Gregor Murray (Conservative, Norreys) also urged the plan to be refused, stating that the proposed access to it from the A329 London Road would be dangerous.

Opponents of the plan argued that it should be refused as the land in question has not been earmarked for development in the Wokingham Local Plan.

Indeed, the application site lies in the countryside just outside the South Wokingham major development – or strategic development location (SDL), which was a point made by planning officer Joanna Carter.

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A similar plan by Beaulieu Homes to build 74 homes was refused in January 2020 and an appeal was withdrawn in April this year.

Kay Collins, speaking on behalf of Beaulieu Homes, said: “The application before you is the result of many months of consultation and discussion between officers and the applicant.

“These discussions have had a positive impact on the proposals originally put forward by the applicant and has resulted in a development for houses which will positively contribute to the local area, and will benefit from sustainability and good access created by the continued development of the south Wokingham SDL.”

Where the 54 homes would have been built on land south of St Anne's Manor, just outside Wokingham. Credit: STA Associates / Beaulieu Homes / Google Maps

The developers also argued future occupiers would have good access to three suitable areas of natural green space (SANGs) which they could use for recreation and exercise, with the two SANGs closest by being Keephatch Gardens and Buckhurst Meadows.

Beaulieu Homes would have 19 affordable homes on the site, amounting to 35 per cent of the proposal.

Officer Carter recommended that the plan be approved. She said it would be a “sustainable site which would successfully integrate with the surrounding area”.

But ultimately, the plan was refused by six votes to three in a motion for refusal introduced by Cllr Gary Cowan (Independent, Arborfield).

The decision was made at the planning meeting on Wednesday, December 8.