Inquiry begins into West Berkshire Local Plan that could see 2,500 homes in Thatcham

A four week inquiry into the West Berkshire local plan has begun.

The local plan is the document setting out housing strategy for the area for the next 15 years - and could see 2,500 homes built in Thatcham.

Dozens of parish councils, local organisations and developers are attending over the period of the review.

The LPR was submitted to the Secretary of State on March 31, 2023.

Planning inspector William Fieldhouse has been appointed to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the plan.

The matter has thrown the now ruling Lib Dem party in to a political spin, as it is in a position where it has to adopt the plan, put in place by the previous Conservative administration.

The Lib Dems initially said they were planning to withdraw the plan in December but in a dramatic twist, just hours before a meeting scheduled to approve the withdrawal, the Government intervened to stop the move.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove, told local councils earlier that day that they would lose planning control unless they sorted their Local Plans out.

So the Liberal Democrats had to fall on their sword at the specially convened meeting that same night.