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Gareth Rees claims the council’s planning committee “failed to mention any of the local residents’ objections” to plans to build 650 homes on Buckhurst Farm when it approved the application last month.
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Campaigner lodges complaint over Buckhurst Farm plans

By Laura Herbert
May 11, 2012

An objector fighting plans to build 650 homes in south Wokingham has lodged a formal complaint claiming Wokingham Borough Council has failed to listen to residents.

Gareth Rees claims the council’s planning committee “failed to mention any of the local residents’ objections” to plans to build 650 homes on Buckhurst Farm in London Road when it approved the application last month.

Buckhurst Farm housing plan agreed despite parking concerns

Mr Rees is also objecting to the council’s Core Strategy, which sets out where 13,000 homes are to be built by 2026.

The 650 homes in Buckhurst Farm will be the first phase in a 2,500-home development, which forms part of the Core Strategy.

Benefits highlighted for 650 homes plans at Buckhurst Farm

Mr Rees said: “I am complaining because Wokingham Borough Council have not listened to the local voices of the community and continued to proceed down outdated plans and policy, using them as justification for building on the only green space left in the Wokingham area when there are plenty of brown field locations which can be used.”

He continued: “To me it seems like a lesson in frustration.

“Wokingham Borough Council make the process long, drawn out and slow hoping that people will give up.

“They did not listen to the local community over the objections for both the Core Strategy and Buckhurst Park, that was clear when I presented at the council meeting, and they are still ignoring the people who voted them in.”

Traffic fears spark rebellion against plans for 2,500 homes

Mr Rees originally lodged a complaint with the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO), but this is not being investigated as he must first go through the council’s complaint procedure.

He added: “I have every intention of pursuing this with LGO once the Wokingham Borough Council objection process is complete.

“I do not believe this current council are acting in the best interest of the local community as I’m sure many of the local action groups feel the same.

“Ultimately I fear our voices will not be heard and that ‘Wokingham the small market town’ will turn in to a city at the hands of the current council and developers.”

Sarah Barrow, head of customer services and administration at the council, said: “Wokingham Borough Council takes complaints from residents extremely seriously.

“Wherever possible we aim to resolve complaints as informally as possible.

“However, where a resident has asked for their complaint to be investigated formally, we follow a three-stage process.”

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Thank you for that Mavdo - I am well aware of the issues surrounding the Buckhurst Farm proposals and have no argument with the points you raise. My point was that AMcP had confused WBC with WTC and inadvertantly used an example that went against the argument being put forward by most posters to this article. My concern is that the confusion in AMcP's response may well be typical of some of the responses that WBC have to deal with. Put quite simply, they are wrong, contain mistaken information and opinions based on hearsay rather than fact. I have posted on getwokingham before about how vitally important it is for folk to check their facts before submitting comments if we are to have our voice heard properly.

LarryS
16/05/2012 at 11:55

LarryS
16/05/2012 at 11:50

@LarryS - there are always people both for and against almost anything. I have no problem with that, and that's what real consultations are for. But in general, our district council seems to hold consultations, take the comments supporting their side as proof that people like what they want to do, and bin the comments from those against their proposals because they are just nimbys or their opinions aren't worth listening to because they're just whinging pointlessly. Some of those comments have no legal basis to be made, accepted, but some will contain really good thoughts and ideas that will really help the councils developements to be fit for purpose.

I don't think our council listens to negative comments on any of their consultations because I see no proof of that at all. They seem to put out a plan, take it to consultation, and then implent that plan anyway. To prove they are listening, they only need to say what has changed in their plans and why, and then comment on why they rejected other comments.

Buckhurst farm is a good example as many people have commented that the through road and country park are not in good locations and should be moved slightly. The same with Elms Field where a supermarket REALLY is not needed, but because it forms the basis of the financials of the development, it MUST be built no matter what people think of it. Comments on the station include there being no drop-off point for anyone except those coming from the south, and that the taxi rank is far too small for the number of actual taxis currently littering the car park. But I don't think anything will change. I think those comments will be ignored. But there is nothing I can do about it, except support Mr Rees.

mavdo, Wokingham
16/05/2012 at 11:01

AMcP - I think you are getting confused between the Borough Council and the Town Council. And IIRC the Town Council did come and meet and listen to those concerned about their plans for Langborough Rec and there were folk for and against the proposals as well so thats not a fair comparison to use and, in fact, is an example of where a council did listen to residents' concerns..

LarryS
16/05/2012 at 10:11

I've signed.

It would excellent to find some mechanism that lets us little people have our views heard and actually listened to.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
14/05/2012 at 10:39

I will support you Mr Rees - we have just witnessed a similar fight with the council on a smaller scale around the Langborough Rec development on the only remaining village green in Wokingham. The council are totally out of touch with the local community and do not listen to their feedback!!

AMcP
13/05/2012 at 08:30

Hi, thanks for the comments of support. I've created a petition if anyone is interested:

https://www.change.org/petitions/the-local-government-ombudsman-hold-a-public-referendum-on-wbc-core-strategy-and-housing-plans#

I'll post it on the facebook page "Wokingham Borough Council Referendums" so it can be easily shared.

Gareth Rees, Wokingham
12/05/2012 at 09:31

I don't mean to hijack the subject of this article, but where on earth is WBC on updates on the regeneration?

Apparently there was meant to be a fresh consultation this month - http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2111630_chance_to_shape_3m_elms_field_plans - obviously looks like this is not going to happen now.

Apparently there was lots of big news due as well - http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2111929_town_centre_revamp_to_be_completed_by_2016 - where is this?

Has the development agreement been signed yet, like its revised revised timetable said it would do? Even though many timelines still being advertised on the wokinghamregeneration.co.uk website have been and gone, we haven't heard a peep. getwokingham seem to be the only ones able to extract a revised timeline from them and they don't even meet that. How are we going to get a say on the regeneration if half of the plans would be submitted before a consultation?

alex_f, Wokingham
11/05/2012 at 14:43

But still the blue minded people of Wokingham support these dictators!

come on lads
11/05/2012 at 13:57

There is noindication that the council has made a single change as a result of comments received during the consultations.

For example: It seemed at one stage that the country park area would be moved closer to the cntre of Wokingham so that it was accessable on foot instead of only by car. This seems to have been abandoned without any explanation.

PoneRana, Wokingham
11/05/2012 at 13:31

"...a three stage process" - Stage 1 - ignore complaint until chased at few times and escalated to the media; Stage 2 - write dismissive letter in reply and ignore for a further few weeks; Stage 3 - finally say no action is being taken as the complaint isn't supported by the electorate and the councillors have the mandate to do what they like. Let's just skip to stage 4 as fast as possible.

Our council listens to no one because they don't have to. It'll be blue forever. We might as well not have elections in some parts of the district. What is frustrating is that councillors for areas completely unaffected by this building can affect policy so much in areas that are. Some of those areas, like Charvil, that are unaffected by these huge devlopments in South Wokingham, North Wokingham, Swallowfield and Aborfield and will be quite happy to build in these areas and get the council more income whilst having no impact on their areas. Local residents want better infrastructure and developments that aren't incredibly cramped housing estates (like the parks in Bracknell), but they don't seem to get any say. There were 650 objections to this development, and none of them were even considered by the council, let alone mentioned. It seems the attitude is "Anyone who objects must be a NIMBY. How dare they express an opinion, especially if it is against any of the plans." They can't win. Some of them may have been broadly in favour, but with some alterations such as better placement of junctions, traffic controlled junctions and better placement of through roads used as bypasses for the town.

Where do I sign up to support Mr Rees?

mavdo, Wokingham
11/05/2012 at 10:38

Where can others provide support for such a complaint. I certainly would be willing to participate

Bob Fossil
11/05/2012 at 10:27

As I recall, the complaints procedure is 1) receive complaint 2) respond to it with 24/48 hours (I forget which) to show it has been acknowledged 3) log it as a complaint 4) write to the complainer to explain why the council was right.

Wishing you better luck with the LGO, Gareth.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
11/05/2012 at 10:25

He is correct in everything he says. Well done, Gareth. I thought Councils were meant to serve the local community, not operate as some kind of localised dictatorship.