PLANNING

Kidmore End Road Appeal Court Review (Golf Course) - Last month we explained about Fairfax’s application for a High Court Review of the appeal dismissal and the process that will follow. Since then, Fairfax have lodged their grounds for a review with the court and the Government’s Legal Department have lodged their arguments for refusing it. You can read these documents and a witness statement from the appeal inspector at: Land West of Kidmore Road High Court Review.

At 2 Rosehill Farm Cottages, Emmer Green (P26/S2021/FUL) in South Oxfordshire, there is an application for a single‑storey self‑build dwelling on land to the rear of the farm cottages that face the Peppard Road replacing an existing stable and garage block. The site lies within Kidmore End Parish, close to the county boundary, and Reading Borough Council is being consulted (PL/26/0953). Access would be via Chalkhouse Green Lane which leads onto the Peppard Road.

The recently dismissed appeal for 70 houses at Land West of Kidmore Road established a precedent against new dwellings on the border. CADRA will object, as have Kidmore End Parish Council. Our arguments will draw on the evidence we gave at that appeal, which will include that the dwelling is not in a sustainable location. Objections already raised express concerns about it being an infill garden development, the dangerous access, difficult waste collection, the loss of local character and the impact on the ecology.

At 2 Bridge Street, Caversham (PL/26/0736), which is now Pathaan’s Restaurant, the owners failed to get approval for their Flood Risk Assessment and Plan, which is a condition relating to PL/24/0022, the already-built covered terrace over the river. The reasons reflected CADRA’s comments, which identified several gaps: no Flood Emergency Plan with clear warning and evacuation procedures, missing detail on escape routes and debris management, the need to confirm retention of the gapped floor design, and that a fully revised Flood Emergency Plan will be required.

In Caversham Court, Church Road (PL/26/0617), the essential conservation and repair work has been approved by the Planning Applications Committee, subject to conditions. The work is not yet scheduled, but we look forward to the removal of the tarpaulin and safety railings, so that once again we can all enter the historic court through its gates. As previously noted, repairs to the surrounding pathway to improve wheelchair accessibility are not included, and we have no update on this.

For the River Academy School, Richfield Avenue (PL/26/0162), permission has been granted for new lighting columns around the existing netball courts. The floodlights may only operate between 16:00 and 21:30, Monday to Friday, and not at weekends or on Bank Holidays. CADRA thinks that this is a sensible compromise.

Reading Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) - Following comments from the Inspector stating two concerns with the LPPU (sewage treatment upgrade requirements and need for a Travellers’ site), Reading Borough Council has decided to proceed with the current LPPU rather than withdraw it and start afresh. The current plan will now include a commitment to begin preparing a new-style Local Plan as soon as this LPPU is adopted to cover the two points raised by the Inspector. This means updated evidence on housing supply, sewage treatment capacity and the removal of Reading University’s development site on Christchurch Meadows (due to flood risk) should be reflected in the adopted plan, while work on a replacement Local Plan gets underway.

A full explanation of this and why the Council has chosen to act in this way can be found at: LPPU Update. CADRA is pleased that the issue regarding sewage has been highlighted, as we have been concerned about this for some time. We hope that this will hasten the improvements required at the sewage treatment works.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) - The Government has just issued a Revised NPPF, which updates national rules on housing, design, infrastructure and environmental protection. We are currently reviewing the changes to understand what this may mean for our area, especially whether it strengthens or weakens a developer’s case for new houses in South Oxfordshire close to the border. We will report back next month.