Wokingham Town Centre Development Proceeds Without Affordable Housing Provision

Construction is poised to commence on numerous new residential units in Wokingham town centre, none of which are designated as affordable housing. Wokingham Borough Council and developers Devonshire Metro have finalized a mandatory legal agreement concerning plans for a new mixed-use development situated at Market Place within the town centre. These plans received approval from the council’s planning committee in February, notwithstanding objections regarding the absence of affordable housing within the project. The development is slated to include 60 new residences, commercial areas, both public and private amenity spaces, and a newly established pedestrian pathway. Architecture Initiative, the architectural firm involved, stated that the development is expected to ‘revive’ an ‘under-used’ section of Wokingham town centre. During a planning committee meeting in February, Councillor Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey commented: “As someone who grew up in affordable housing, I really think it’s a horrible idea that we don’t have any affordable housing in this development.” She further remarked that permitting developments of this nature could contribute to Wokingham becoming ‘a town for only the rich, not for the average earners or the poor.’ Council planning regulations at that time stipulated that developments comprising a minimum of 15 homes in a ‘major development location,’ like Wokingham, ought to incorporate at least 30 per cent affordable housing. This percentage has subsequently been raised to 40 per cent as part of the authority’s local housing plan, which councillors recently endorsed. This revised requirement will become legally enforceable once it receives approval from a government inspectorate. However, existing legislation permits developers to bypass this requirement if they can present a ‘viability assessment’ demonstrating that construction expenses would prevent profitability unless full market rates are applied. The Section 106 legal agreement established between the council and the developer includes a stipulation that, upon the project’s completion, a ‘viability review’ must be conducted to ‘confirm the situation has not changed’. With the finalization of this agreement, construction on the project is now authorized to begin.