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Planning Application Submitted by RGC

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A planning application for 260 properties on Reading Golf Club land has been validated by Reading Borough Council today and has gone live on Reading’s planning portal. There are a considerable number of documents, so it’s going to take KEG and our planning consultants some days to go through all the documentation.

We are working through the documents as quickly as possible and will get in touch with KEG subscribers shortly to highlight areas for your objection. Objections are only considered if they object to something ‘material’, numbers help, but the quality of an objection is the most important aspect. Read on for general information on how and what to object to.

Quick Reference

  • Council Application Number: 200713

  • Email to Object: planning.comments@reading.gov.uk (include your name & postal address to be considered, as well as the application number). Read on for further details on what you should include.

  • Closing Date: 11th September 2020

Initial Headline Findings

  • 12.15 hectares of land are to be developed.

  • 260 houses, space for health centre (850m2)

  • 576 parking spaces proposed.

  • Floodlights and diggers working 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm on Saturday.

  • Two access points via Kidmore End Road

  • 5 years to complete, starting May 2021

  • Site clearance phase, 10-25 HGVs daily

Objecting to the Development

KEG will shortly be distributing suggestions on the most contentious areas of the planning proposal. If you submit an objection, please do comment on ‘material’ objections that the planning officer will take in to account. These are the guidelines from the GOV.UK website on what a ‘material’ objection is.

The scope of what can constitute a material consideration is very wide and so the courts often do not indicate what cannot be a material consideration. However, in general they have taken the view that planning is concerned with land use in the public interest, so that the protection of purely private interests such as the impact of a development on the value of a neighbouring property or loss of private rights to light could not be material considerations.

The following list is taken from https://www.reading.gov.uk/planningobjections

Material planning considerations

  • Overlooking/loss of privacy

  • Loss of daylight/sunlight or overshadowing

  • Scale and dominance

  • Layout and density of buildings

  • Appearance and design of development and materials proposed

  • Disabled persons' access

  • Highway safety

  • Traffic and parking issues

  • Drainage and flood risk

  • Noise, dust, fumes etc

  • Impact on character or appearance of area

  • Effect on listed buildings and conservation areas

  • Effect on trees and wildlife/nature conservation

  • Impact on the community and other services

  • Economic impact and sustainability

  • Government policy

  • Proposals in the Local Development Plan

  • Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)

  • Archaeology

Issues that cannot be taken into account

  • Who the applicant is/the applicant's background

  • Loss of views

  • Loss of property value

  • Loss of trade or increased competition

  • Strength or volume of local opposition

  • Construction noise/disturbance during development

  • Fears of damage to property

  • Maintenance of property

  • Boundary disputes, covenants or other property rights

  • Rights of way and ownerships disputes over rights of way

  • Personal circumstances

What is KEG doing now?

We have already queried the duration of the planning consultation period with the Council as such a large application requires some time to go through; the current consultation period has only been specified as 4 weeks (closing on 11th September).

We aim to get in touch with KEG members as soon as possible to suggest a number of detailed points that opposition to the development should centre around. We would encourage everyone to read the documents, to make notes, but to wait until KEG have had time to fully appreciate the detail of the plans before submitting their own objection.

KEG will object as a community group and we will then encourage you to submit your own objection to the council before the closing date on 11th September.

What Can I Do?

Please contact as many people as possible to make them aware of the development.

If you are not a subscriber, or you know those who would be interested, please subscribe so we can send you updates on the planning application.