Theale to increase by one third its size under Local Plan, which was adopted this week

Councillors voted through the revised Local Plan in a free vote on Tuesday night, meaning some of the ruling Lib Dem team rejected it.

Under the plan Theale will increase in size by a third.

Theale councillor Alan Macro voted against it.

“The council’s core strategy included the statement: ‘Theale will remain a vibrant village which maintains a distinct identity and sense of community’,” he said.

“The Lakeside development has planning permission to provide 350 homes. If this development goes ahead, Theale would need to undergo a period of consolidation to provide an opportunity for facilities and services to be upgraded.”

Development of that site has just started. However, another site for 104 homes was allocated in the Housing Site Allocations on the new plan. Development of that site has also started.

“There has been no chance for those facilities and services to be upgraded. However, here we are proposing to allocate another two sites totalling 100 homes,” he said.

“Even worse, both those sites are at risk of flooding. Both are at risk of ground water and surface water flooding. Altogether, the sites being built out and those allocated in this plan would increase the size of Theale village by one third with no enhancement of facilities and services.”

Others were concerned that the plan did not go far enough to protect villages in West Berkshire.

“We should have had the option to look again at where we might develop our villages and help them remain viable,” said Heather Codling, who ultimately voted for the plan fearing development ‘by appeal’ would result, with the council having little control.

“We cannot preserve our villages in aspic – we need a plan to help them grow sustainably, and keep our schools, shops and pubs open.”

The Lib Dems were accused of failing in their manifesto pledge to sort the local plan out, and blamed for the increase in housing supply demanded by the government. The Lib Dems rebutted that, saying the plan was rushed through by the previously incumbent Tories, and it was “foisted” on them.

“Local plans are supposed to be an innovative and exciting process to shape our district’s future, said deputy leader Denise Gaines.

“Allowing us the ability to craft polices and documents to enhance our urban and rural areas, whilst safeguard our countryside, managing our growth where we want it.

“But instead, they are very often bunfights for developers to get their sites included in the housing allocation process.

“Government is complicit in this process by dictating housing numbers in various random processes, such as without considering real housing need and land available.”

The next step for the council is to produce a masterplan. In the meantime, developers will be lining up to submit applications to develop the outlined sites in the plan.