Plans for Homes in Wokingham Rejected Again

Plans to build up to four homes on countryside land at Forest Road in Wokingham have been refused after the site was judged 'too remote'. Projx Services Limited had applied for permission in principle for three to four houses.

Wokingham Borough Council said the land sits outside a 'defined settlement boundary' and is not close enough to amenities. Planning officers described it as a "poorly accessible location", citing no nearby facilities or services, poor public transport links and no safe, convenient walking or cycling routes.

Officers warned the development would encroach on an undeveloped parcel of countryside and extend built development 'beyond the established pattern' along Forest Road, harming the site's undeveloped character and its contribution to the rural landscape.

An ecological assessment found two badger setts and a badger latrine in woodland along the northern boundary, and trees that appeared to be used by roosting bats. The report said the woodland should be protected by a 15-metre buffer if the homes were built.

St Nicholas Hurst Parish Council raised traffic and pedestrian safety concerns. A 2022 traffic survey recorded more than 20,000 vehicle movements in each direction over seven days, with 48.7 per cent of eastbound traffic and 54.3 per cent of westbound traffic travelling above 40mph.

The parish council said the road was busy and fast, with no bus service and narrow footpaths that are not continuous on the same side of the road. It also flagged a separate nearby application by the same agent and company, warning of a significant cumulative impact on the rural landscape.

The application followed pre-application discussions in which officers had already advised the proposal was unacceptable in principle. The council said further talks would be "unnecessary and costly" because the scheme conflicted with the development plan and other material considerations.

The application was refused on September 9. The decision was signed by Justin Turvey, the council's head of development management - place and growth. The applicant has the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Katie French, Local Democracy Reporter