Resolution Reached Over Bracknell Housing Dispute

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

A recent clash over extra bedrooms at a woodland site near Bracknell has reached a resolution.

The Evergreens is a housing development of 68 homes at Beaufort Park, located between Bracknell and Crowthorne, built by Taylor Wimpey on a former office site.

Homes began completion in 2023, with residents moving in shortly after. However, some properties were built with additional bedrooms, including 14 four-bedroom homes that exceeded the original three-bedroom plans approved by Bracknell Forest Council in November 2021.

This discrepancy left current homeowners unable to remortgage their properties, as the floor plans did not match their mortgage agreements.

The situation also led to the addition of 14 new parking spaces, with seven created on the access road to The Evergreens.

During a council planning committee meeting on October 9, Councillor Dorothy Hayes MBE expressed concern for homeowners affected by the remortgaging issue, stating, “It’s appalling to think that these buildings were allowed to get developed and sold in such a way and I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

Initially, a proposal for 10 new spaces and a car club was unpopular among residents, leading Taylor Wimpey to revise their plans to meet the council's requirements.

Cllr Sheila Collings acknowledged the need for the developer and residents to find a satisfactory solution regarding the parking arrangements. Cllr Mary Temperton suggested monitoring future sales to ensure compliance with approved bedroom counts, emphasising that the 37 houses in question were not a mere oversight.

Cllr Tina McKenzie-Boyle proposed that a collaboration among council officers, councillors, and developers be established to ensure homes are built as approved.

The changes received approval from nine councillors, with one abstention. You can view the approved application by searching reference 25/00479/FUL on the council’s planning portal.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter