CPRE welcomes Calcot Park Golf Club development withdrawal

A national countryside charity has welcomed the withdrawal of a large village planning proposal.

The Berkshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England has welcomed the withdrawal of a proposed development at Calcot Park Golf Club — saying this would have resulted in the loss of “precious” green space, mature trees and wildlife habitats had this gone ahead.

And now the charity is supporting a proposal for the land to be designated as a Local Green Space within the Tilehurst Parish Neighbourhood Plan in a bid to protect it from any future development.

Chairman of CPRE Berkshire, Greg Wilkinson, wrote to West Berkshire Council two months ago urging it to reject the application on the basis of harm to the countryside and local biodiversity.

“We are delighted the planning application has been withdrawn,” he said. “But we are concerned that unless Calcot Park is properly protected we might have to face another development scheme in the near future.

“We have already lost too much of our countryside to inappropriate development in recent years.

“It is vital that we rally round to defend what’s left.”

The application was withdrawn on Friday, September 29.

The proposed development at Calcot Park Golf Club sought permission to create a new, enlarged clubhouse and reconfigured car park, supported by enabling residential development, with associated landscaping, vehicular access and parking.