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People responding to a public consultation on regenerating Wokingham say the town's character must be kept
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Regeneration plans must keep town's character

By Julie Spencer
September 26, 2012

Wokingham people want new shops and houses as long as the history and character of their market town is preserved.

Results of the latest public consultation on Wokingham’s regeneration were released this week, revealing the majority of people were looking forward to their new town centre.

A total of 262 responses to a questionnaire and seven separate letters were analysed after July’s exhibition at Elms Field, which was attended by 1,200 people.

More than half of those who responded thought the scheme would preserve Wokingham’s history, with strong support for the plan to do up and build more shops in Peach Street.

But others felt the new-look Wokingham would be too modern, and would lose its market town feel.

Comments from respondents included the accusations that the scheme was ‘bland and characterless’ and ‘an over-indulgence in red brick’ and that the council was ‘destroying the heritage of the town’.

However, other respondents said they were ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the proposal, with one saying they commended developers on attempting to ‘retain the style and patterns’ of the town.

One suggested the scheme ‘needed a landmark’ as a focal point, while another posed the question ‘do we really need more coffee shops?’.

Renegeration developers will make Wokingham proud

Of Elms Field, 40 respondents said all or most of the scheme ‘looked good’ although 38 said they were against plans for a supermarket.

The survey follows an earlier consultation in July 2011 which resulted in 700 responses from Wokingham people.

The latest comments were welcomed by Councillor Alistair Corrie, executive member for regeneration and affordable housing, who said he was pleased by the numbers of people who had taken the time to be involved in the consultation process.

Huge leap for town's regeneration as development agreement signed

He said: “There are a lot of differing views over the future of the town and how this should take shape. The challenge for the council and our development partners is to balance the wide-ranging views with the needs of the town over the long term, accommodating the expected population growth and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the town centre.”

Patrick Arthurs, from developers Wilson Bowden, said: “We have spent a long time bringing forward the plans, but there is still a long way to go and we will be looking carefully at the comments received as the plans are finalised.

“The inclusion of a supermarket will drive much greater footfall into the town centre, boosting trade for all existing and new shops and businesses.

“This is a crucial part of the development which goes hand in hand with encouraging smaller and independent shops around Peach Place and associated areas.”

Last month, a planning application was submitted for work on 1960s’ buildings in Peach Street which Cllr Corrie described at the time as looking ‘very tired’.

The planning application is set to be decided by the council in November.

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Most recent user comments 8 of 8

Lets get one things very clear.

Wokingham people do not support this huge over development. Cramming 120+ houses onto the car park.

The details of the £100m contract and tender process has been hidden from public and national audit office scrutiny by using a sub company to avoid normal local government acquisition rules, it is still being ignored. @getwokingham why os this not news? Yes I have asked Allistair Corrie. He refused poiint blank to share the contract.

The other thing the public do not get is that this is just part 2 of 8. It is not then end of it. They don't hide it, but there is so much to the core strategy that few look for it.

http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/planningcontrol/planning/masterplanning/wokingham-town-centre-redevelopment-update/towncentremasterplan/ p135+

Do I think it's a good plan for a vibrant town centre. Yes. It's excellent. Do I think it will attract and serve the 20,000 or so additional residents we can expect over the next 10 years? Yes.

Do I think we should have 20k more people in Wokingham? focusing national work and housing in areas where the private sector might provide funding (i.e. quick returns? No.

Wokingham had the balance just right. It was a model suburban town with a pulse. Something to do but still a community. A model that should be replicated up and down the country. Lost to decades of short sighted fast buck national governance.

Our Tory councillors are either towing the party line aspiring to national government, trying to 'make a difference' to something that 'was' great or have not though at all about the UK being sustainable in 2062. Believing you can get through each disaster with debt driven investment.

Kaz4Wokingham, Wokingham
24/10/2012 at 23:21

'Renegeration developers will make Wokingham proud' ........ Oh, I do like a good Renegeration

Woky Local
26/09/2012 at 15:44

As far as I understand it, this consultation was never going to be about the wider aspects of the regeneration. This was meant to be dealt with back in 2010 with the town masterplan.

Whilst I agree that town centres are under threat, I don't think this means they have to die - only adapt. In my opinion, council ownership of a significant proportion of the retail floorspace is one decent part of the strategy, and is one which is supported by the Mary Portas Report.

Private landlords will generally just let their space to any business who will pay the going rate and will reliably pay up. This could lead to an over-abundance of certain types of shop - we see it now with yet another charity shop opening up in the Market Place, and gambling shops in other parts of the country. Ownership of a large proportion of the town centre will make it more likely that this doesn't happen (in theory anyway!). The retail offering can actually have a strategy - e.g. more clothing stores which Wokingham is in need of.

alex_f, Wokingham
26/09/2012 at 13:27

Another one of WBC's bogus 'consultations' where the plans have already been agreed with the developers beforehand. It appears that things like the colours of buildings etc, number of trees and parking places were discussed at the consultation. Looking at the 'results' it seems that the questions were loaded. We all know that the number of parking places is a major issue so why couple it with other questions regarding Elmsfield. WBC fail to understand that a High Street full of shops is steadily becoming a thing of the past with internet shopping, holidays, insurance companies and Estate agents all being done from home. Latest government figures state that high street shops are closing at 18% per year. Elms Field should be remodelled as a large field (as it is today), without the houses and road going through the middle of it, which may actually attract people to the town. In the future it is the leisure aspects that will encourage people to the town as this cannot be experienced from a computer. The WBC Cllrs and so called 'Officers' have a lot to answer for. They have no idea what is happening in the outside world.

Stig2, Wokingham
26/09/2012 at 12:01

So 95% of respondents don't want the supermarket

Andy Shaw
26/09/2012 at 10:18

Could we lose the "characters" on WBC?

Peter Turner
26/09/2012 at 09:48

Perhaps one of the new shops will offer massages performed by council officers.

Woky Local
26/09/2012 at 09:43

So how many people said they wanted Elms Field to be left the hell alone? That number isn't reported byu the council, strangely. I suspect it wasn't one of the questions on offer....