Wokingham

Round two of consultation on the South East Plan is under way and Wokingham District Council is once again urging residents to make sure that their views on housing numbers in their district are heard.

Wokingham council is this month (May) writing to all 58,000 households in the district asking them to complete the official consultation form and return it to the panel secretary who will be managing an independent review of the Plan, called the Examination-in-Public.

Leader of Wokingham council Cllr Frank Browne said: “Many residents have already responded to previous consultations, and I would like to thank everyone for their time. I would like to stress, however, that it is just important that people respond to this latest stage and make their views know to a panel of government inspectors.”

Covering the period from 2007 to 2026, the draft South East Plan has been drawn up by the South East Regional Assembly (SEERA) and sets out a proposed vision for the South East to guide development in the region. When adopted, the Plan will provide the wider framework for the district’s own land-use blueprint (Local Development Framework). The Plan currently recommends that 523 houses are built in the Wokingham district every year for the next 20 years, a total of 10,460 for 2006 to 2026.

As well as asking residents to reply to the latest consultation, Wokingham district council is set to agree its own response to the Plan, arguing that the number of houses allocated to the Wokingham district is too high.

“As a district we have already taken significant housing development over the last 30 years, being one of the fastest growing areas in the country during this period. And we haven’t seen any extra funding materialise from central government to help us develop the infrastructure we require to support this level of development. Our roads, schools, doctors’ surgeries and the other essentials of our day-to-day lives simply can’t cope with any more,” said Cllr Browne.

At its meeting on Thursday May 25 the council’s decision-making executive will be recommended to:

* Object to the plan as a whole as unsustainable
* Object to the housing allocation for the Wokingham district
* Suggest that a review of the district’s housing allocation for the period 2011-16 is required
* Object to proposals for housing allocations to other districts which may adversely effect this district
* Argue that the current infrastructure is inadequate even for existing needs
* Oppose restrictive policies on car parking
* Support only ‘managed’ economic growth

Wokingham council is also set to argue that the process used by SEERA to set housing figures is flawed; that the forecasting used is likely to over-estimate the need for housing; that, based on evidence by independent consultants, the current level of housing development is too high; that any development should fully fund any necessary mitigation measures; that policies which promote the conservation and improvement of existing built environments be supported; that the final plan should be shorter, more focused and more usable and that the level of affordable homes should be set at a local level.

“The South East Plan will affect not only housing numbers but the local economy, employment, environment and infrastructure – in essence, everything that contributes towards our quality of life.

“We have the evidence to make a strong case to the panel, using the findings of independent consultants, our own analysis and our residents’ overwhelming response to our own consultation last year. It is vital, however, that everyone once again makes their voice heard, this time to the government inspectors,” urged Cllr Browne.

People can make their views known by completing the panel’s official response form and using the pre-paid envelope. These are set to arrive with residents from the end of May. Alternatively, the response form can be downloaded or completed online at www.eipsoutheast.co.uk. All responses must be received by the panel secretary by 5pm on June 23, 2006.

Wokingham District Council