Dear KEG Subscriber,

Welcome to the last KEG newsletter for 2020

Whilst we are clearly focusing on the pending new planning application, we are also widening our activity to become a more active voice in the community by engaging with Reading Borough Council in support of their Climate Change Strategy. This includes litter picking on Emmer Green Recreation Ground as well as taking some initial steps to improve the environment around Emmer Green Pond and the green space outside Budgens which is one of the more visible yet neglected areas of Emmer Green.

We would welcome new volunteers to help with this initiative so please let us know by email or via the contact page on our website if you are interested in helping and we will be in touch when we have formalised our plan of action.

Council planning documents (relating to withdrawn application 200713)

Reading Borough Council have recently posted a number of council consultee response documents on their planning portal which were submitted in response to the (withdrawn) planning application. These detail areas such as transport, landscape, natural environment, police/safety, air quality and noise as well as drainage. If the application had not been withdrawn these would have been important reference documents in the planning application review process.

We are reviewing these documents and will liaise with the council going forward. Although many issues and concerns raised in the documents were similar to those submitted by KEG and others, we are concerned why other significant points raised by KEG and members of the public were not mentioned in the Council consultee’s submissions and why relatively few topics were commented on.

The next planning application

It is likely that a new planning application will be made in the new year which will be subject to a 4-week council validation process followed by another public consultation before being assessed by the council’s planning committee.

As soon as we are aware that a new planning application has been submitted, we will let you know. Once the public consultation is open you will need to send in your comments again as this will be treated as a completely new planning application. We will let you know more in due course.

Merry Christmas

Finally, we would like to wish you a very heartfelt Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and thank you to everyone for supporting KEG during these difficult times.

Here’s to a brighter 2021 and a more sustainable future.