A decision has been made on a controversial plan for an Aldi between Reading and Wokingham.
A decision has been made on a controversial plan for an Aldi between Reading and Wokingham.
Plans, two years in the making, would put the supermarket south of Gazelle Close near the Winnersh Fields Business Park, on a field off Reading Road close to Wickes, Pets at Home, Halfords and an upcoming Sikh Gurdwara.
Submitted plans show the Aldi having 123 car parking spaces, with seven disabled spaces, four active electric vehicle charging spaces and facilities for 20 more in the future.
The proposal proved controversial because of flooding concerns. The Environment Agency said Aldi’s flood mitigation measures were ‘inadequate’ and failed to address the flood risk for the lifetime of the development.
Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee voted to approve the project in December 2023, but later revoked permission after those concerns.
The Environment Agency submitted information warning that flood risk from the River Loddon, under a mile away, could increase by 23 per cent due to climate change. A report by Wokingham planning officers said: “The application site is within an area of flood risk and has failed to demonstrate that it would not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere.”
The government department of local government intervened and the Conservative secretary of state ‘called in’ the decision. In a curious U-turn, the council’s planning department said it supported the project during the appeal process in April last year.
Ultimately it was judged the Aldi would be beneficial and that suitable flood mitigation measures had been devised. The council’s statement of case reads: “The proposed development will result in a number of beneficial impacts. The proposal will have a positive economic impact by resulting in jobs and new business to the area.
“It will provide a new day-to-day shopping facility within a sustainable and accessible location to residents.
“Considering flooding and drainage, large parts of the site fall within a flood zone, and the Environment Agency has objected – this weighs negatively against the proposal.
“Notwithstanding this, the flood compensation scheme and surface water drainage strategy have been advised to be acceptable.
“Overall, it is considered that on balance the benefits of the scheme outweigh the negative impacts.”
The project recently received full approval from the government. The decision was made by Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage, parliamentary under-secretary of state for Housing and Local Government, following a report by planning inspector David Wildsmith.
You can view the application by typing reference 230099 into the council’s planning portal.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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