West Berkshire Council approves plans for temporary café to be built on Burghfield Common's recreation ground

Controversial plans for a temporary café to be built on a village recreation ground have been given the go ahead.

The plans, put forward by Burghfield Parish Council five months ago, were finally approved by West Berkshire Council on Friday subject to a number of conditions.

The key condition being that the café operators must provide an emergency plan in the event of an accident at the nearby AWE atomic weapons factory.

West Berkshire Council wrote to the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) on July 25 after initially approving the café plans at the eastern area planning committee on July 13.

The council needed to give the required 21 days’ notice of their intention to grant planning permission with conditions as it went against the recommendations of the independent nuclear regulator.

The council received a reply from the ONR on August 15, which stated: “Thank you for giving us advanced notice of the council's intentions, which we acknowledge. We consider our role discharged.”

The 21 days’ notice also enabled the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government the ability to call-in the application, but he was content that the outcome of the application should be determined by the council.

The plans have divided Burghfield Common residents.

Residents who supported the idea of a new café believed the village would benefit from having a central community space that villagers could walk to, while objectors believed the café could become a hub for anti-social behaviour.

Steph Awbery, who was an objector when the plans went before the council’s eastern area planning committee last month, was disappointed with the outcome.

As a representative of the Burghfield Common Residents Group she said: “This green was part of the heath land of Burghfield Common which was left to us and which has lots of history in this village.

“As more houses are being built in the village, we need to keep every inch of these pieces of land given to us, otherwise we shall be left with nothing, only houses and common and joined to Reading.

“We can understand the much larger greens like Victoria Park in Newbury having a café, as this is a very large area, but for a very small green in this village it is a bit much.”

Another resident who objected to the plans was worried about the costs the building and operation of the café would incur upon residents.

She said: “I look forward to the parish council liaising with the parishioners on actual, accurate, costings prior to works commencing.

“The conditions applied [by West Berkshire Council] will, without doubt, escalate the costs.

“All parishioners have ever wanted is integrity and transparency on how their money is spent.”

Burghfield Parish Council said: “Burghfield Parish Council are pleased to confirm that permission has been granted for the café on the recreation ground in Burghfield.”