Berkeley's 375 new homes proposal in Wokingham

Property development company, Berkeley, engaged in a public consultation last month regarding its proposal to build a huge housing scheme on land adjacent to Blagrove Lane in Wokingham – dubbed Blagrove Meadows. 

The plan would see 375 mixed-type homes – including 40 per cent allocated as affordable – built on roughly ten hectares of the site, as well as pathways, play facilities, community spaces and a network of footpaths and cycle routes. 

As well as conducting the consultation survey, Berkeley also held a public meeting at Evendons Primary School in May to discuss the proposals with residents. 

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A local community group, Evendons Area Residents Association (EARA), said they were “disappointed” in the process as the questionnaire was “biased” towards the development. 

EARA claimed there was “overwhelming opposition” to the proposals after the meeting and subsequently arranged a community walk of the site following the launch of the “Save our Blagrove Meadows” campaign. 

The chair of the EARA, Ian Andrews, says many of the attendees were “surprised” by the size and scale of the development. 

“The overwhelming feeling from everyone present is that we have to fight this destructive development and protect our countryside and our wildlife,” he said. 

The EARA says the “unspoilt” land is host to a “rich diversity” of wildlife, including deer, badgers, hedgehogs, woodpeckers and owls. 

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However, in a letter sent out to residents, Berkeley says Blagrove Meadows would be a “beautiful new part” of Wokingham that “puts landscape and community at its heart”. 

It argues that the development will build new accessible green space with “features to support wildlife” and provide a “positive increase in ecology” through new habitat creation, including extensive native wildflower, shrub and tree planting. 

The developers have previously built other new neighbourhoods in the area such as Woodhurst Park in Warfield, as well as Taplow Riverside and Eldridge Park in Wokingham. 

Since the public consultation finished on June 6, Mr Andrews claims residents “haven’t had any feedback” and are concerned by the “limited details” that have been shared so far. 

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However, an advert was placed in a newspaper stating the developer’s intention to submit an outline planning application at the site for “up to 350 homes, new access onto the Barkham Road, community space and onsite SANG” (Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space).    

EARA are running a second event on August 7 in opposition to the proposal, alongside “experts to answer questions” about the area.  

“Once the planning application is submitted, we will review it in detail and then share details of our specific concerns with the residents and let them decide if and how they wish to object,” Mr Andrews said. 

Berkeley did not respond when approached for comment.