Wokingham Lib-Dems Concerned at Tory Plans for House-Building in Wokingham Borough (Wokingham Liberal Democrats)

Wokingham Liberal Democrats <info@wokinghamlibdems.org.uk>

Wokingham Lib-Dems Concerned at Tory Plans for House-Building in Wokingham Borough

June 27, 2008 12:00 PM

The Core Strategy document - which can be downloaded from the Council web-site

Wokingham Liberal Democrats last night voted against the Conservative blueprint (Core Strategy) for where to build large scale housing developments in Wokingham Borough.

Councillor Stephen Conway (Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem Councillor Group and Councillor for Twyford ward) said, "The Conservatives are proposing four major housing sites in the Borough,

§ Arborfield Garrison, for 3,500 houses

§ North Wokingham, for 1,500 houses

§ South Wokingham, for 2,500 houses, and

§ Shinfield/Spencers Wood/Three Mile Cross, for 2,500.

"The Lib Dems were told about the Tory proposals three weeks ago, and we expressed our concerns to them at that point.

"We continue to be concerned that the figures for houses on each site have been calculated on a blanket formula, and have not taken enough account of the different characteristics of the sites. We believe that Arborfield Garrison [actually in Barkham parish] could accommodate more new houses, and that this would take the pressure off the other sites - especially North Wokingham, which we believe will not be able to take the number of houses allocated to it.

"Last night the Conservatives approved the Core Strategy, so the four sites are now designated for large-scale housing development. We in the Lib Dem Group will do our best to influence the Tories to minimise the impact on residents in the affected areas when it comes to the next stage of the process, which involves detailed consideration of the individual sites."

A 'concept statement' giving more detail of what the four development sites will look like is expected to be debated at Wokingham Borough Council on 31st July.

NOTE: The Core Strategy papers can be downloaded from Wokingham Borough Council's website:

http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/environment/planning/ldf/core-strategy/26jun08execpapers