Kidmore End Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan.
This plan has recently been released for consultation and the central theme is a strong recommendation that the land that borders the north of Reading in South Oxfordshire should be included within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Effectively it means bringing the AONB a mile towards Reading.
KEPC has consulted on this and within the plan is a section headed “Kidmore End Parish Landscape Sensitivity Study” which has been prepared by external landscape experts. The Executive Summary at the beginning of this landscape report sets out clearly the reasons for the change of classification and refers to the land as being of “high quality in its own right and indistinguishable from the AONB”.
The decision on this designation rests with Natural England - however please do support their plans by responding here: https://survey.southandvale.gov.uk/s/kidmore-end-np/, with relevant documents here: https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/south-oxfordshire-district-council/planning-and-development/local-plan-and-planning-policies/neighbourhood-plans/emerging-neighbourhood-plans/kidmore-end-neighbourhood-plan/
The consultation period for the local plan ends on 15th September.
While you can read through the documentation, we would suggest that you write a brief comment in support of the Local Valued Landscape policy as well as the proposed extension of the AONB and national park status for the Chilterns. This would essentially bring the entirety of any development on the golf course within view of the AONB, which would consequently be a significant planning consideration.
Grove Road Hedge Project, Emmer Green 2021
Anyone who walks by the allotments and recreation ground on Grove Road will know that the hedge has become very thin in places and is dying.
A local resident, Margaret Ormonde, has done something about it. With the permission of the Council, who own the land and with the help of Caversham Globe, Margaret has applied for a grant from Oxfordshire’s Trust for the Environment (TOE). Part of this grant has been agreed and thanks to the support of the Council’s Parks Department the work can now proceed. Margaret has also confirmed that expressions of support from KEG and the pledge of volunteers to assist with the work had helped persuade TOE to approve the monies.
The first task will be the removal of dead plants and debris and erecting secure fencing where necessary. This work is likely to be led by the Council’s team and take place over a day in late September/early October. It is likely to be a weekday. Follow-up planting will be volunteer led and take approximately two days. This may be weekdays or weekends.
If you would like to offer your time for any of this work then please contact hello@keepemmergreen.com and he will liaise with you when precise timings are known.
Thank you in anticipation.
KEG’s response to SODC
Update 10th September 2021
Keep Emmer Green (KEG) are a community group established against unsustainable development in and around Emmer Green. We have around 1,600 subscribers, primarily consisting of residents in Emmer Green and South Oxfordshire. We are especially concerned about the various proposals that have been put forward by Reading Golf Club on their beautiful greenfield land in Reading Borough and South Oxfordshire. These planning applications, on landscape in the same setting of the AONB, would undoubtedly reduce the chances of extending the AONB and threaten additional urban sprawl on the north Reading border. Any large development here would affect the tranquility of the area, increase traffic congestion, significantly increasing housing density and reduce access to wildlife and green space.
KEG commend the parish council for the quality and detail of their neighbourhood plan. While we cannot comment on other aspects of the plan, we fully support Kidmore End Parish Council in their aim to classify the land in south Oxfordshire as local valued landscape, with the aim of extending the AONB from Tokers Green to the border of Reading, as well as the associated policies of respecting gaps between existing settlements on the border with Reading, including Chalkhouse Green and Tokers Green with Caversham Heights and Emmer Green. We fully agree with the assessment that the KEPC site CFS 13 at Reading Golf Club is not suitable for development, though we would question the ‘amber’ rating at Palmers riding stables – being within view of the AONB as well as contributing to cross border sprawl of Emmer Green if the site was ever developed.
Whilst we agree that Emmer Green is a more urban townscape, areas of parkland and open spaces within Caversham and Emmer Green, including the golf course, enable access to wildlife despite housing density. The area still retains a sense of its past village character, with few properties higher than 3 storeys in comparison to the much denser development in Reading centre, with small roads, many unkept, leading out to the villages in Oxfordshire.
Residents in north Reading also benefit from the proximity with an undeveloped border with South Oxfordshire, with several routes making it possible to explore south Oxfordshire relatively easily. Leisure access is still primarily via the road network, so in addition we would also encourage additional permissive paths across farmland to further ease access and improve local circular routes for leisure, and further note that any intensification of development would negatively impact leisure users and the numerous stables in the area. We also fully agree with the KENDP border assessment, which noted the character of the AONB does not stop at the border with Reading and permeates Emmer Green where there is no hard border, especially on the golf course and other parkland areas such as at Bugs Bottom.
As a community group we support the aims of the neighbourhood plan and are ready to work with the Chilterns Conservation Board and KEPC to protect the borders of Reading from development.