Road plans submitted

A FULL planning application has been submitted for a new road that will eventually form part of the south Wokingham distributor road (SWDR).

The route was approved by Wokingham Borough Council’s ruling executive in 2014, and in March 2015 it approved the Eastern Gateway section, in advance of the rest of the road.

Exhibitions took place in 2019. Residents were invited to comment prior to the planning application for the next phase of the road.

This new application is for the Eastern Gateway. This section of the SWDR will extend the previously completed section of William Heelas Way, through the Montague Park development, with Waterloo Road.

Later sections will run across Easthampstead Road to Finchampstead Road, connecting at the Tesco roundabout.

It is also proposed to improve the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road, a scheme known as Western Gateway.

Nexus Planning, acting on behalf of Kingacre Estates, Miller Homes and Kier Ventures, has submitted the plans “to facilitate housing and infrastructure within the South Wokingham Strategic Development Location (SDL).”

It noted how the council’s own Core Strategy has identified how the land between London Road and Finchampstead Road for 2,500 homes. Two schools and a village centre are part of the plans.

Last month, the council said it had successfully applied for a £29.6 million contribution from Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency.

The consultation for the trunk road plans runs until May 17.

■ To see the plans, search for application number 240892 on Wokingham Borough Council’s planning portal.