Planning round-up: Bracknell & Wokingham
This week’s local planning news includes a community hub in Newell Green, five houses proposed in Ascot, a new use for Wokingham’s old library on Denmark Street, and a big housing scheme south of the railway.
Bracknell: Community hub in Newell Green (25/00703/3)
A new community hub is planned in Newell Green, Warfield. The scheme would include a cafe, sports hall, dance studio, meeting rooms, children’s play area, new offices for Warfield Parish Council, cycle stands and enhanced sports pitches. It will be on land that forms part of the Warfield strategic housing allocation. The proposers say the community, recreational and sports benefits would outweigh the loss of open space at Priory Field, with lost pitch space to be compensated for at Westmorland Park. The site would provide 32 bicycle spaces and 119 car park spaces.
Ascot: Five houses in Furzefield (25/00804/FUL)
An application seeks permission for five houses on a green space behind Furzefield, off Lock’s Ride near Winkfield Row. The proposal is smaller and less dense than earlier applications for the site (13 houses in 2019 and seven in 2020). The new homes would be within walking distance of Charlotte Pratt Memorial Hall, Don Beni restaurant, Lambrook School and local churches in Winkfield Row.
Wokingham: New use for old library, 54 Denmark Street (252868)
The first floor of Wokingham Library is to be converted into an over-16 Special Needs students’ hub. The mid-1990s building will have its external windows replaced to better match surrounding buildings – red frames will become grey – and cills, surrounds, air transfer grilles and associated ironmongery will be changed. A new air-source heat pump is proposed to replace the current heating system.
Wokingham: 215 houses to the south (253142)
The consultation has closed on plans for 215 houses north-east of Easthampstead Road and south of the South Wokingham Distributor Road (land parcels R7 and R13). The land is officially part of Wokingham Without, although some politicians think it will naturally become part of Wokingham town. At Wokingham Town Council on 4 February, councillors said they did not see many green spaces in the plans and raised concerns that infrastructure and school places to serve the new homes would not be completed in time for incoming residents.
For full details, search the planning portals on Bracknell Forest Council or Wokingham Borough Council’s websites.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
