Caversham is heading into an autumn full of heritage, with news of national planning changes, traffic issues and community activity, and there’s 1066 and all that.
CADRA AUTUMN MEETING 18 NOVEMBER - HOLD THE DATE!
What did the Normans ever do for Caversham — Our autumn open meeting will take place 7.30pm Wednesday 18 November 2026 in Caversham Baptist Church, linking into the Year of the Normans and the news of welcome arts funding for RABBLE Theatre’s new play on William the Conqueror.
Our evening will focus on Caversham and the Normans. We are delighted to welcome historians John Painter (Friends of Reading Abbey) and Emeritus Professor Anne Currie from Southampton University, and we are hoping that Toby Davies, RABBLE Artistic Director will also be able to join us to tell us more about their production. Please save the date and look out for more details.
Reading Museum and the Bayeux Tapestry — Before heading to the CADRA Autumn meeting to learn about the Normans in Caversham, we imagine residents will be interested in the Bayeux Tapestry at The British Museum but, as many of you know, there is Reading’s own fine 19th Century Victorian Replica on display at Reading Museum. The editor of Round Up has said that we should not mention the 93 “differences”, between the two and that we definitely should not mention the YouTube video produced by History Extra on the topic. More details of the Reading Tapestry at: Reading Museum.
PLANNING
In Caversham centre at 2–4 Church Street, both CADRA and the Conservation Area Advisory Committee have been pressing for updates, expressing our concerns for this important listed building at such a key location. We are grateful to Councillors for inviting us to a site meeting. Application (PL/26/1083) to discharge conditions to the approved applications is now open for comments.
New applications in Emmer Green: —St Agnes, Grove Hill (PL/26/1071) is seeking listed building consent to replace two first-floor windows. The building is historically interesting, as it is thought to have billeted Parliamentary troops during the Civil War and the Siege of Reading. — Clayfield Copse Pavilion, Caversham Park Road (PL/26/1099) where the external refurbishments include new render, a terrace, landscaping and storage arrangements. —8 Surley Row (PL/26/0994) is a fine listed terrace house in the Surley Row Conservation Area. At the rear a small garage side extension is proposed, together with a brick enclosure to support an historic wall and screen bins.
There is an update on the Emmer Green Kindergarten proposal to add new nursery spaces on land to the rear of 88 Knights Way (PL/26/0679). RBC Highways have requested that the application be refused for reasons which include intensifying existing parking pressures and compromising user safety.
Across the river, a new report by the developers of the land at 2 Norman Place, Vastern Road (PL/24/0958) explains how the development will conform with RBC’s Town Centre Public Realm Strategy. The scheme would provide 236 new apartments.
CADRA has objected to the self-build dwelling proposed on land to the rear of 2 Rosehill Farm Cottages, Peppard Road in South Oxfordshire (RBC - PL/26/0953 — SODC P26/S2021/FUL), which is just outside the Reading boundary with SODC. We do not consider it a sustainable place for a home, and we have concerns that safe access has not been demonstrated, particularly visibility from Peppard Road. Our safety concerns have been echoed by RBC Planning objections.
New National Planning Policy Changes
There are two significant and wide-ranging changes. The first pushes most planning decisions to officers, with only major or sensitive cases reaching the planning committee. CADRA can still comment, but ward councillors cannot “call in” applications for the planning committee to decide.
The second is a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This includes a strengthening of landscape protection and tightens how housing supply requirements are assessed, which may affect the Reading/South Oxfordshire border. There are concerns about what this means in practice.
These are complex changes that create a more centralised and officer‑led system. CADRA has endeavoured to analyse the potential local impact for our area - Planning Delegation & NPPF Update: What’s Changing
TRAFFIC NEWS
A4074 Emergency Road Works - Chazey Heath
The ongoing road works due to problems with the ageing gas mains pipe are causing significant traffic issues on the surrounding roads and particularly on Tokers Green Lane. The work will last around 13 weeks, with temporary traffic lights and a 20mph limit, but there are no plans for a full A4074 closure. The Pack Saddle remains open from the southern entrance. We are grateful to local councillors who have posted the most up to date details. Also see SGN’s Roadworks in Your Area.
Traffic Management Sub Committee
At the recent Traffic Management Sub Committee meeting, councillors authorised a statutory consultation on introducing a 20mph limit for the Amersham Road area. Details of the proposal can be found here: Amersham Road 20mph Consultation. The committee also approved Appendix 3 Priority Traffic Measures List. It sets out priorities for all the whole of Reading with expected delivery dates. For north Reading:—The Last Crumb is at the top of the whole list and Priority 1, with an expected delivery date of 2027/2028—Kidmore Road traffic calming and footways improvement is Priority 6 and delivery 2028/2029—Lowfield Rd is Priority number 7 and delivery 2028/2029—Kidmore Road speed calming from Highmoor Road to the Mount is Priority 20 and delivery 2031/2032. We have extracted the details of the North Reading items from Appendix 1 - Principal List for ease of reference.
READING FESTIVAL
We hope that you had a good festival. Thank you to those who contacted CADRA during the festival with comments or enquiries. We will forward all comments to Festival Republic in our ‘wash-up’ meeting. If you have any comment that you have not sent to us yet, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you to members of the committee and to Caversham Globe for doing litter picks in Caversham during the festival, including removing items from the river.
NORTH READING SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM
The next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday 1 October at Emmer Green Youth and Community Centre, Grove Road, Reading RG4 8LN. The meeting is open to all (including those from Caversham and Caversham Heights Wards) and it is free to attend. You will have the opportunity to raise issues such as anti-social behaviour, crime and fear of crime with the council and with Thames Valley Police.
OTHER NEWS
Surley Row
Thank you to those who responded to our request for help with reviewing the appraisal document for Surley Row Conservation Area. The review will begin shortly and we will provide further information and sending more details to conservation area residents, explaining the process and opportunities to contribute to it. Meanwhile go to Reading Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC).
Heritage Open Days
Don’t forget the Heritage Open Days in Reading this month, including a weekend date in Caversham; “Behind the Garden Wall - Gardeners' tales from Caversham Court” on 20th September from 11pm to 4pm. Details of all Reading events can be found here: Heritage Open Days
Council Consultations
This month there is only one RBC consultation regarding proposed changes to the support available for young people aged 16 to 25 who may need help with travel to education and training. Details of the consultation can be found here: Reading's Post 16 Transport Policy Consultation
THANK YOU for reading this month’s Round Up and for your continued interest in local issues. CADRA relies on an active and informed community, and your engagement makes a real difference. You can contact us at: info@cadra.org.uk
Please feel free to forward this update to neighbours or friends who may find it useful, and if they would like to stay informed regularly, they can join CADRA here at: Join-Us, where members can update their contact details.