Campaigners against a large controversial housing development in Crowthorne have had “good” talks with Bracknell Forest Council’s leadership.

Members of the Crowthorne Village Action Group met with Labour councillor Guy Gillbe – the new lead councillor for planning – on Wednesday, June 7.

The group has been campaigning for the council to scrap plans to build new neighbourhoods at Derby Field and Beaufort Park. The new developments are part of the council’s emerging local plan, which sets out where new homes, businesses and facilities could be built over the next 15 years.

The plan was drawn up and put in motion by Bracknell’s previous Conservative administration. But after Labour took over in earthquake local elections last month, the Crowthorne Action Group called for the council to look again.

Now, the group’s chairman Andy Holley has said there could be some changes to the Local Plan.

He said: “Councillor Gillbe explained a considerable amount of time and money has been put into getting this far. But he did want to review the Local Plan before signing off and there may be an opportunity for minor adjustments.”

He added: “It was a good meeting to discuss response to the concerns that we raised. We appreciated him taking the time to talk to us.”

Councillor Gillbe indicated that Labour couldn’t make sweeping changes to the local plan devised by the Conservatives.

READ MORE: Call for council to scrap plans for 3,700 homes in Bracknell

Years of work have already gone into devising the plan. A new draft, drawn up by the previous Conservative administration, was set to go to consultation this summer after government inspectors branded a previous version “unsound.”

Councillor Gillbe also said Labour would honour its promises to residents in Bracknell town to build affordable housing.

He said: “Members of our local community are being forced out by a lack of affordable local housing. I’ve lost track of the number of people in Bracknell I’ve spoken to who say that their son or daughter has to stay at home with them, or move out of the town that they love.”

Instead, councillor Gillbe said the new Labour council’s task is to balance that promise while protecting the green spaces outside the town. “I do not want to see the northern parishes swept over,” he said. “What makes the northern parishes special is green land.”

And he said Labour wanted to be transparent in its decisions, talking to residents and campaigners about its decisions.

He said: “As part of our commitment to transparency we are meeting with other stakeholders. We want to do things with people, not at them.”