Developer Appeals Council’s Rejection of 230-Home Plan

A proposal to construct hundreds of new residences on agricultural land could still proceed, despite local authorities having rejected the plans. Wokingham Borough Council previously turned down an application for 230 homes at Riverways Farm, located between Charvil and Twyford in Berkshire, earlier this year. Local resident Scott Silvey voiced concerns, stating: “It’s a tiny village with no infrastructure on a flood plain where houses already flood every year so people are really worried.” However, the developer, David Wilson Homes, has characterized the site as an “ideal location” for commuters and has lodged an appeal against the decision, which means the planning inspectorate could potentially overturn the rejection. The initial application generated over 200 objections from residents, who raised issues regarding overdevelopment and the potential impact of the project on flooding, sewage systems, and local schools. Charvil resident Pat Sutlieff asserted that the selected site “isn’t fit for purpose.” She further elaborated: “It’s an isolated site outside of Twyford, which is often gridlocked and has had a number of accidents involving the safety of children walking and cycling to school which will only get worse if more homes are built.” Mr. Silvey also commented: “The doctors surgeries are already struggling to meet demand, the secondary school is oversubscribed and Twyford is gridlocked in rush hour as it is.” He added: “We simply don’t have the infrastructure in the village for more homes.” The council’s planning officers had requested that 92 of the homes be affordable, consisting of 14 four-bedroom houses, 18 three-bedroom houses, 28 three-bedroom houses, 14 two-bedroom flats, and 18 one-bedroom flats. The plan was submitted as an outline application, with the precise housing mix and specific details to be determined in subsequent planning applications. During discussions about the development, Stephen Conway, Councillor for Twyford, Ruscombe and Hurst, stated that it would effectively create a new settlement that would be cut off from Twyford, making daily travel challenging. The developers argued that the project would offer a wide variety of housing to meet diverse needs, alongside improving walking and cycling connectivity to Twyford and enhancing biodiversity. Planning consultant David Murray-Cox indicated that the development would be an ideal location for commuters, given Twyford’s position on the Elizabeth Line, which provides train services to and from London. He stated: “Even before the Elizabeth Line opened Twyford was a sustainable place but that is now reinforced with more frequent services available to a more diverse range of destinations.”