New Luxury Homes Planned by Sonning Golf Club

New luxury family homes are being built next to Sonning Golf Club on Duffield Road, on the outskirts of Woodley.

Darcliffe Homes is constructing 13 houses at the development, called Eastfields Green. Photos show three detached homes are nearly complete.

A site plan shows eight detached houses plus a terrace of five. Between the club and the site new trees have been planted with a notice reading 'tree protection, do not remove'.

The scheme has a long planning history. Plans were first submitted to Wokingham Borough Council in 2016, rejected, then allowed on appeal.

Planning inspector David Cliff said: "Thirteen new dwellings, including the affordable provision, would make an important contribution to the supply of housing.

"I have also given moderate weight to the economic benefits from construction and the future support for local services and facilities.

"Pedestrian improvements on Duffield Road would also provide modest benefits to accessibility in the area.

"Overall, the adverse impacts do not significantly and demonstrably outweigh
the benefits."

The appeal was granted in July 2018. The scheme was originally put forward by Sonning Golf Club and the approved plans were later sold to Darcliffe Homes.

Detailed applications followed about design and materials. In April last year Darcliffe applied to remove the on-site affordable housing originally promised.

During the appeal it was stated five homes would be affordable and a monetary contribution would be made. Of those, three would be socially rented and two would be shared ownership.

An Alder King viability assessment said on-site affordable housing was uneconomic. Darcliffe has instead offered a £355,000 contribution towards off-site affordable housing, and Wokingham Council is considering that application.

You can view the application on the council planning portal using reference 250974.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter