Development site may be dropped

Twyford and Charvil: Doubts over garden village at Grazeley area

Concerns have been raised that more homes could be built in Twyford and Charvil if a key strategic site earmarked for a garden village is removed from the draft Wokingham Local Plan.

Cllr Stephen Conway (Lib Dem, Twyford) told Twyford Parish Council that the draft local plan was moving ‘very slowly’ due to issues with the Grazeley site.

The Grazeley site has been earmarked for a garden village but

‘doubts have now been cast’ on this site, he told

the meeting on Tuesday, November 24.

Twyford parish councillor Tom Winchester asked Cllr Conway about developments in Charvil.

Cllr Conway stated that there are ‘several sites’ in Charvil in the draft Local Plan as well as Bridge Farm site in Twyford.

But he added that there is ‘now potential’ for some of the sites that were discounted to be brought back in due to the ‘anxiety’ about providing the required number of houses without the Grazeley development.

He did not specify which discounted sites could be brought back into the plan.

Cllr Winchester added that the developments will have an impact upon schools such as Charvil Primary School and the Piggott School which are already ‘full’.

Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement, said: “Earlier this year we consulted on a draft local plan strategy which proposed a garden town at Grazeley at its heart which included upfront infrastructure, strong public transport links and a truly long term contribution to meeting development requirements.

“Since then a legislative change has caused emergency planning requirements around the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield to be extended so that they for the first time include the Grazeley area. The Defence Nuclear Organisation, part of the Ministry of Defence, is now objecting to the Grazeley garden town proposal and is requesting its removal from the local plan.

“In light of the changed circumstances, we have started the process of looking at alternatives as the Grazeley garden town may no longer be achievable. We will consult on these matters when we know more.”

'We’ve started looking at alternatives'