Berkshire News

Progress is being made on a project to create new homes at a ‘backland’ site in Bracknell.

A huge plan to replace a retail park near Reading town centre with hundreds of flats has effectively expired.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, has condemned the Government for their “continuous neglect” of Berkshire’s farmers during a visit to Newbury today (Friday 5 December), calling on Labour MPs to “finally do the right thing” and vote down Family Farm Tax plans in the upcoming Finance Bill.

Around a fifth of flood defences in West Berkshire are sub standard according to figures from the Environment Agency.

Tribute has been paid to a respectful and kind councillor in Bracknell who had decades of public service under his belt.

A primary school in Caversham has won permission to expand to teach more children following a successful appeal to the government.

A sushi takeaway in Reading town centre has applied to conduct late-night deliveries.

Councillors have clashed over whether there should be an elected mayor for the Thames Valley, covering Berkshire, Oxfordshire and possibly Swindon.

Around 200 trees will be chopped down by the council in West Berkshire in the coming months.

Residents in Purley on Thames say they want to stay in West Berkshire in the latest parish survey resisting Reading Borough Council’s expansion plans into eastern parts of the district.

Speed bumps and a 20mph limit will be coming to a much-travelled route in Reading in the coming weeks.

A landmark decision on a project that would turn The Oracle in Reading into a place to live for the first time has been delayed.

Adult ADHD referrals have been stopped by the Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BHFT).

Labour’s Reading West and Mid Berkshire MP Olivia Bailey is on a list of MPs who did not vote on the Government’s plan to tax inherited farmland from April next year.

An expert in advice and benefits claims has laid out the rules for claimants travelling abroad after a mum from Bracknell had her child benefit wrongly cut.

A student and former general election candidate from Reading spoke at the very first Your Party conference.

Progress continues to be made on a development that saw a Reading ‘institution’ store knocked down to make way for 60 homes.

Neighbour opinions are divided over the transformational project that could turn The Oracle in Reading into a place to live for the first time.

A coffee chain with 95 locations is gearing up to take over a closed cafe near hundreds of homes and a train station in Reading.

Neighbours support a walk-in health service in Reading town centre following the closure of the urgent care centre in one of the town’s main malls.

A plan to demolish a car servicing station and replace it with a fuel storage facility between two villages in Berkshire has faced objections over flooding and road safety.

Increased charges for leisure facilities are on the table in West Berkshire.

Fears have been raised over whether Crowthorne can have Christmas lights going forward, as funding has dried up for safety testing.

A decision has been made on a controversial plan for an Aldi between Reading and Wokingham.

West Berkshire’s persistent absence rates from school are higher than Reading’s.

A decision is due on a project that will transform the premium shopping centre and dining destination in Reading for good.

The North Wessex Downs National Landscape (NWDNL) has launched a new five-year Management Plan – with a commitment to protecting the countryside from development.

A red-light camera has been installed at a pedestrian crossing on the A4 in Calcot.

A garage could be demolished and replaced with a mobile home for staff at a hotel in Bracknell.

A project to demolish a busy buffet restaurant in Reading town centre to replace it with more than 100 apartments has cleared a crucial hurdle.

A bid for a Korean barbecue restaurant in Reading town centre to become a late-night bar has been decided.

A petition was put to West Berkshire Council calling for pension investments supporting the Israeli military to be stopped.

One hundred and forty six people have signed a petition calling for the council to bring in weight restrictions on Bury Road in West Ilsley.

The new arrangements for parking in Wokingham have been given the go-ahead, as the rules will be policed by a team of enforcers.

Thames Water has been blasted as ‘charlatans’ by a pensioner from Reading whose bill has more than doubled to £1,200 per year.

Reading Borough Council has spent more than £80,000 on travel expenses for councillors and its staff, a freedom of information request has revealed.

Reading Council’s proposal to take Tilehurst from West Berkshire was formally submitted to Government today (Nov 27).

The Government says it will fund the full cost of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision from within central government departmental spending from 2028/29.

Councillors in Bracknell have clashed over a Labour councillor keeping her senior position.

The shopping destination that transformed Bracknell town centre has been purchased for around £150 million.

The owners of a cocktail bar and restaurant in Crowthorne have found out whether they can keep it open later.

A mum from Bracknell has been paid back after her child benefit was cut by the government following a trip to Morocco with her son.

Newbury MP Lee Dillon has condemned the Budget announcement confirming that the Government will keep the controversial family farm tax in place, despite warnings of its devastating impact on rural communities.

Plans for a new car wash building on the ground used for an existing hand-car wash business behind the High Street in Theale have been submitted.

Another big tree is about to get chopped down in Newbury.

The council is going to spend around £50,000 reducing speed limits on Newtown Road in Newbury.

The conversion of a former pub and hotel into new flats heading out of Reading has been rejected.

Fears raised over parking fee hikes and charges at free car parks in Woodley and the neighbouring towns and villages.

A town centre pub in Reading has come under new ownership and has turned into an Irish-themed bar.

Bracknell is set to keep a partnership running that is in charge of upholding trading standards, tackling flytipping, managing alcohol licenses and more.

A new American fast food chicken restaurant in Reading could keep on selling food and drinks until 5am in the near future.

A young family is in despair over mould, water leaks causing damage and a bug infestation at their social home in Shinfield.

Domestic related crimes have risen by 13 per cent over the last 12 months to August in West Berkshire.

Reading Borough Council is ‘trashing the environment’ by falling behind on its climate action goals, according to the Green Party.

A plan to add flats on top of a converted office block in Wokingham town centre has been decided.

Cash-strapped West Berkshire Council is steadying itself for the Government’s fair funding review, due in the next few weeks, which could see wealthier authorities take a hit.

A very Green Party thing has been put to West Berkshire Council.

The new live music venue in Bracknell has officially opened.

tA neighbour is suffering from roots coming up from their toilet due to a tree endangering the flats where they live in Reading.

A Dad from Bracknell has complained about overcrowded and has reacted with frustration as his partner’s dad’s council home has gone up for auction.

The company that manages The Oracle in Reading has gained full control of the shopping centre, as a glimpse of the future has been teased.

Parking charge increases for more polluting cars have officially been approved in Reading.

The Prime Minister has visited a primary school in Caversham to promote the Labour government’s policy of introducing free breakfast clubs.

The Prime Minister and the education secretary have acknowledged the scandal of a woman who smuggled drugs into prison being allowed to teach children.

NOTE:  this is a longer read, and looks at reasons for developers excusing themselves from building affordable homes with plans by the council to relax rules.

The results of the latest West Berkshire Youth Survey are out.

Dozens of objections have gone in about a plan to put 16 houses on a field in Great Shefford.

A woman who has mobility problems has been left in a desperate situation after she had the car she uses to get about taken from her.

The population of Wokingham and the surrounding areas will pass 200,000 in 10 years, it has been predicted.

A plan to convert a riverside pub in Reading into flats has been put on hold.

West Berkshire Council is set to borrow another £50m next year.

Residents in the suburbs of Reading have called for better bus services in the area, particularly to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Reading council has responded to news that revealed dozens of homeless households from Oxford have been moved into the town.

An extension to transform a bungalow into a four-bedroom house in Crowthorne has been refused.

Bracknell is set to grow by thousands of residents in the next 10 years, according to official data.

The fate of a plan to build dozens of homes near a huge supermarket visited by thousands of people in Bracknell has been decided.

A bid for Berkshire to be united with Oxfordshire and possibly Swindon under a new mayor is due to be submitted later this month.

A consultation has been launched into expanding SEND provision at two schools in Tilehurst.

Leaders from across the Thames Valley, including West Berkshire, are progressing plans to pursue a mayoral strategic authority (MSA) for the region.

A homeowner has found out whether he can make extensions to his house after his neighbour complained about previous works and cooking smells.

Parcel lockers near a supermarket and a busy shopping area of Bracknell could be removed after a bid to keep them was soundly rejected.

The price of leisure centre membership in Woodley could soon be increased.

The demolition of a huge office building for an American computer business in Bracknell has been given the go-ahead.

A clash is set over a resident’s plan to improve their home as a neighbour has complained about ‘cooking odours’ coming from the property and previous works.

A plan to bring a Reading town centre pub that has been vacant for years back to life has been approved.

A petition has been launched by residents worried about an unauthorised development in woodland near Tadley and opposite AWE to construct multiple static homes.

New Road in Greenham will now be closed for a further four months – prompting outcry from locals.

Councillors have been briefed on a potential change to bus routes to provide services between Woodley and Twyford.

A cafe in Reading has changed hands, with the new owner hoping to add a bar to sell alcoholic drinks to customers.

The MP for Bracknell has welcomed a government-commissioned independent review into teaching and assessments.

A verdict is due on a controversial plan to add 10 new homes to converted offices in Wokingham.

A project of 10 new homes in a village between Bracknell and Ascot has been completed.

Reading has been snubbed by Theale in the land grab attempt to bring it, and four other villages in West Berkshire, under its wing.

A convenience store in Whitley has applied to sell alcohol as late as midnight.

Independent consultants are being hired by West Berkshire Council – to help them save money commissioning care packages.

Leading councillors in Bracknell have agreed a £2.

A closed food court is set to be taken over by a new restaurant in Reading town centre.

Digital parking permits for people visiting family and friends will be rolled out across Reading within days.

The name of a pub in Reading town centre will change as part of a £200,000 upgrade project.

A clampdown on driving speeds is due to take place in Wokingham and its surrounding towns and villages that could see speed limits reduced to 20mph.

Armed forces families in 156 military homes around Burghfield will see a major boost from the Government.

Designs for a huge new community containing more than 600 apartments in South Reading have been given the go-ahead.

More parking restrictions are coming in across the towns and villages of West Berkshire.

Huge plans for the next phase of a major development near Reading Station are set to be revealed, which will see flats, shops and cafés added to the town.

An Asian fusion eatery has taken over an Italian restaurant unit in Reading town centre that has been vacant for years.

The former offices of a leading computer company in Bracknell are set to be demolished to make way for new commercial buildings.

A massive plan for 2,800 homes between Reading and Wokingham has been submitted.

Two blocks of flats that have replaced a pub in Reading appear to have been left dormant for years on end.

It’s going to cost around £30m to create a new council area, which would see West Berkshire tack itself on to parts Oxfordshire.

A grandmother who has been taking her family bowling for years has expressed dismay at the closure of the only bowling alley in Bracknell.

The company that manages rubbish and recycling in Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell has launched a survey into the future of the services it provides.

A quirky shopping arcade in Reading town centre will be getting a fresh new look for the first time in years.

The conversion of a grand office building in Bracknell into more than 30 flats has been rejected, years after previous plans were approved.

Confusion has been raised over a new retirement home in Shinfield that has been built but left vacant for more than two years.

A plan for dozens of new homes next to a Tesco Superstore in Bracknell is due to be decided.

A bus lane fine has been cancelled, with an apology issued after a couple received two penalties for a single rule breach in Reading.

A huge document outlining the state of West Berkshire’s public rights of way has been published.

West Berkshire has been confirmed as one of the least deprived areas in the country.

A ‘Diwalloween’ fusion event to mark two autumn festivals has been celebrated in Reading.

The council has refused to comment after parking chaos outside a country park, as people almost missed a funeral due to traffic delays.

Millions of pounds could be spent by the council on acquiring homes for families in Bracknell.

A plan for West Berkshire to merge with councils in Oxfordshire -reuniting towns that used to be in the Royal County – is set to be put forward.

The Government may have to give West Berkshire Council more cash to stop it going bankrupt.

A showdown is set over a change that has been made at a supermarket used by thousands of people in Bracknell.

A driver has described ‘pure carnage’ and traffic chaos outside a half-term Halloween event at a country park.

A landlord has celebrated the defeat of a plan that would have seen a pub that he used to run in Reading converted into a chain bakery.

A councillor has called for a direct bus service between Woodley and Twyford, the commuter village that has trains running to and from London.

Councillors have clashed over a Conservative proposal to introduce one hour free parking at car parks in Wokingham.

An American chain burger restaurant in Reading has been closed and sealed off to clear the way for a fashion store.

Ofsted has given West Berkshire Council children’s services a ‘Good’ rating – marking a decade of effort to pull the ship around.

A date has been set to debate the future of West Berkshire in a larger, combined authority.

A taxi driver has said that the business is ‘struggling to survive’ in Bracknell.

The advertising of ‘unhealthy’ food will be clamped down upon in Reading going forward.

A referendum on the possibility of Theale joining a Greater Reading council has been announced.

An entertainment company has applied to host events at a skyscraper in Reading town centre.

Poor roadworks at a junction in Wokingham have been slammed by a neighbour and branded ‘dysfunctional’.

Fury has erupted at developer David Wilson Homes’ application to back out of a commitment to building a new primary school at Donnington Heights.

Detailed plans to build nearly 40 homes in a village in Berkshire have been submitted.

Neighbours complain about ‘extreme noise’ coming from Reading Festival this year, particularly on the last day.

Bracknell council has paid nearly £8,000 to parents and other people who have complained about the services it provides.

Footpaths and routes have been closed for the construction of a major new road in Wokingham.

A neighbour has made complaints about drinking, drug use and anti-social behaviour coming from tents in Reading, while accusing the council of ‘inaction’.

The impact of homelessness in Wokingham Borough has been discussed as the number of households in emergency accommodation has been revealed.

A master gymnast, writer and animal physiotherapist has become the deputy leader of Bracknell Town Council.

A Korean barbecue restaurant in Reading town centre has launched a bid to sell alcohol and host music events.

The company behind the large housing development at Donnington Heights in Newbury is trying to back out of a commitment to build a primary school there.

The longest serving MP for Reading has launched his annual competition to highlight independent business success stories in the town.

A change in how a Greggs drive-thru operates along a busy road in Reading has been rejected.

The building that used to contain a bowling alley, cinema and a pizza restaurant in Bracknell is now completely closed.

A neighbour has complained that she and others are forced to run across the road following the ‘deterioration’ of their bus service into and out of Reading town centre.

Residents in Theale are being polled about whether they should stay in West Berkshire or head to Reading instead.

Hermitage Parish Council is still struggling, after a 14 day notice period has ended, during which no request for an election was put in.

The social media beasting of West Berkshire Council over the bin collection changes and pedestrianising Newbury Town Centre is in full swing.

A clampdown on ‘junk food’ advertisements is set to take place in Reading in an effort to promote healthier living.

All the complaints that a government ombudsman investigated in Bracknell have been upheld in favour of the person who raised the issue.

A key route that provides access to the football stadium, a retail park and more in Reading will be closed for nearly two months for water works.

Changes have been made to huge development of hundreds of flats at Broad Street Mall that is moving ahead.

A councillor in Bracknell must apologise after divulging a man’s medical information during a ‘chaotic’ debate about immigration.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats has spoken out about Operation Raise the Colours and a viral photo of MPs waving Union flags at his party’s conference.

A dispute over the presence of a bus at a reopened village pub and other issues raised by a neighbour have been resolved following a meeting.

Progress is being made on the construction of more than 60 homes that will be built in Crowthorne.

Lib Dems say Thames Water is ‘a sinking ship’ during party leader Sir Ed Davey’s latest rafting stunt at a country park in Berkshire.

A petition to pause bin collection changes in West Berkshire was firmly booted out of council last night.

A call has been made for a pub that has been turned into a chef training facility in Reading to be reopened to the public.

A grocery in Reading town centre has been forced to close after the discovery of cockroaches and evidence of a mice infestation.

A road in Caversham will stay closed for months due to a sinkhole that was caused by a burst water pipe.

A debate is lingering over whether councils in Berkshire and Oxfordshire should join forces with Swindon in major changes to local government.

A partnership between three councils in Berkshire focused on protecting the public, tackling anti-social behaviour and managing licences for bars and venues is being extended.

A chain cafe at a busy retail park in Reading has closed down around a year after opening.

Thames Water has been fined for causing traffic chaos at Hambridge Road in Newbury at the weekend.

Promotion for new riverside apartments in Reading has been allowed to take place at an existing development site.

A traditional country pub just outside Wokingham could be getting a new look.

A public consultation into the proposed 20 mile per hour speed limit in most of Thatcham launches on Thursday (October 16).

An Irish-themed bar in Reading town centre is back after a bold makeover, promising to serve up good times, great food, and ‘the best seat in town’ for live sport.

A debate has raged over a tree boundary for a development of nearly 300 homes at a woodland site on the outskirts of Bracknell.

The council has defended its bin changes again – this time after one of the district’s MPs had a pop about it by publishing her ‘Bin Bodge Dossier’.

A petition to pause the bin collection changes is being lodged at West Berkshire Council this week.

The financial pressure on Wokingham Borough Council is mounting due to the escalating costs of providing education for children with special needs.

Newbury is bracing itself for years of road closures and traffic changes as preparations begin to build more than a thousand homes at Sandleford.

West Berkshire’s council leader is throwing himself to the wolves next week as he hosts a live online question and answer session with residents.

A project to replace offices with a huge warehouse for research and development or industrial use in Bracknell is moving ahead.

A clash over extra bedrooms being added to homes at a woodland site near Bracknell has finally been resolved.

The MPs in Reading have welcomed news of a £9.

The biggest telecoms company in Britain is set to replace phone boxes with new ‘street hubs’ throughout Reading.

Attempts at ‘improving’ the Newbury town centre pedestrianisation scheme get put to West Berkshire Council next week (Thursday).

A new bakery and deli is set to be opened by an already successful business in a busy area of East Reading.

An appeal has been lodged against West Berkshire Council blocking the development of 167 flats in Newbury – because of parking issues.

More than 150 job seekers attended Newbury MP Lee Dillon’s September Job Fair for local employment opportunities and skills development across West Berkshire.

A West Berkshire primary school is celebrating after being ranked in The Telegraph’s top 10 primary schools in the country.

Plans for four new homes on one of the few remaining patches of green space in Tilehurst have been approved.

A plan to convert a pub into a Greggs bakery in Reading has been rejected due to the loss of a community facility.

Berkshire and Oxfordshire could be unified under a new elected mayor in the coming years.

The John Lewis Partnership has been given permission to build more than 150 flats in Reading, enabling its entry into the housing market.

A councillor who has got national attention for appearing on TV has clarified his membership of Reform UK in an ongoing clash with the Liberal Democrats.

The government’s health and safety agency has issued new guidelines after the dramatic Station Hill fire in Reading that saw a worker rescued by a crane operator.

The new look for a Thai eatery that took over from a BBQ restaurant in Reading has been approved.

The government planning inspector will now decide if a century old pine tree in Tilehurst should get chopped down.

Berkshire councils have joined forces to assess and attempt to meet the housing needs of people across the county.

West Berkshire Council is being consulted on a planning application which has been submitted to build a controversial solar farm on more than 2,000 acres (809 hectares) of countryside in Wiltshire.

Residential roads in Reading are set to get restrictions to stop drivers from parking near junctions and potentially cause a hazard.