Planning Policy News Update

All major Planning Policy developments affecting West Berkshire are updated on this page.

Updated 28th July 2010

West Berkshire Core Strategy Submission

The Council has formally submitted the Core Strategy to the Secretary of State on 9^th July 2010 for examination by an independent Planning Inspector. All submission documents are available to view online.

Information on the Examination is available on the Core Strategy Examination page here and by using the link on the right.

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Supplementary Planning Guidance – Delivering Investment from Sustainable Development – SPG4/04. Non-material changes to documents and consultation levels, with effect from 1^st May 2010

West Berkshire Council's Supplementary Planning Guidance SPG4/04 was formally adopted on 27^th September 2004. Paragraphs 6.3 and 6.4 of the Core Guidance document state that information on costs will be updated annually, and that factual updating which does not materially change the SPG will be made as and when required. Consequently, the SPG documents have been reviewed and updated, and contribution levels have been revised where necessary. The new contribution levels apply to all applications submitted, and all appeals considered, on or after 1^st May 2010. All documentation can be found on the 'Delivering Investment from Sustainable Development' Page – click here to view this page.

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LDF Consultation

If you would like to be kept informed of progress on the LDF please register on our LDF Consultation Portal, which can be reached from the Local Development Framework Consultation page, reached from the link on the right.

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Local Development Framework Annual Monitoring Report

The Annual Monitoring Report 2009 is now available to view from the link on the right.  The AMR reports on progress on the LDF and monitors the effectiveness of policies.

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Thatcham Design Appraisal (2009)

The Thatcham Design Appraisal has been prepared by Turley Associates on behalf of West Berkshire Council to provide the evidence base for a future policy framework for the town centre. This report has now been finalised and is available to view by clicking on the related page on the right-hand side.

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Parish Design Statement for Stanford Dingley

The PDS was adopted by the Council on 21st January 2010. The final document is currently being prepared for publication and will be available to download shortly. In the meantime a text only version is available to view online at www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4433.

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We are inviting Landowners and Developers to inform us of suitable sites for housing development. For further information on making such a submission, go to www.westberks.gov.uk/ldfsites.

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"The Chase", Newbury

The Council has received a number of enquiries from members of the public regarding a plot of land at Wash Water, to the south of Newbury. A company called Asset Worldwide Group is marketing individual plots of land on a site called 'The Chase' in this area. The Council would like to clarify its position regarding any future housing development in this area. The site lies outside the Newbury settlement boundary and development would be contrary to current planning policy. Allocations of land for housing outside the settlement boundary would need to come through the Local Development Framework. During the preparation of the West Berkshire Core Strategy, a number of sites throughout the District including the Enborne and Wash Water area were evaluated for their strategic development potential over the current plan period, 2006 – 2026. This area was not assessed as one of the more sustainable locations and is not proposed for development in the Proposed Submission Core Strategy which was published on 26th February 2010. Further allocations of housing sites will be made in the Site Allocations and Delivery Development Plan Document when the sustainability of all potential sites will need to be assessed.

Asset Global Inc has requested that part of the land be included in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) which aims to identify potential sites for housing.  Inclusion in the SHLAA does not mean that the site will be included and allocated in the Site Allocations and Delivery Development Plan Document, merely that it will be considered and evaluated, along with other potential sites, and be subject to consultation as part of the preparation of the Development Plan Document.