Fairfax Site Layout
We have recently been made aware of a new version of an indicative site layout (Dated May ‘20) from Fairfax / Reading Golf Club (RGC) for the proposed housing development on Reading Golf Course. It has been modified since the public engagement earlier in February this year but still results in the destruction of the golf course in order to build 260 homes. This is still double the maximum number of homes specified in Policy CA1b of the Reading Borough Council Adopted Local Plan.
Click here to download a copy of the new site layout
The new layout still proposes building on all the land in Reading Borough and ignores the Adopted Local Plan which specifies a smaller area of land (3.75ha) for between 90 and 130 homes together with a replacement clubhouse and subject to the future provision of golf on the remainder of the golf club land.
Environmental Impact
Since adopting the Local Plan, Reading Council has been trying to address the risks posed by climate change. The draft strategy recognises the increasing importance of green spaces in mitigating climate change and sets a priority to ensure that new development delivers a net gain to the environment. It is hard to see how this proposed development on the golf course could possibly deliver a 'net gain'.
It still appears that the Golf Club’s intention is to ride roughshod over the Local Plan and in the longer term to develop more of the land in South Oxon as the 10 year agreement between RGC and Fairfax gives Fairfax the right to apply for planning permission on the whole of the golf course land and if approved for any part of the land, to broker the sale to a house builder.
We strongly believe that the building of houses on the golf course, first in Reading and later in South Oxfordshire, is not in the best interest of local communities in Emmer Green, Caversham and surrounding villages.
Get Involved
Please share this information with your family, neighbours and friends in the local community because with continued support from everyone in the community we will be able to put forward a strong opposition to the development once a planning application has been made.
