News

300 home Bulmershe campus development to go under microscope tonight

By Jon Nurse
October 03, 2012

Redevelopment of Woodley's Bulmershe campus is scheduled to go before the council's planning committee this evening (Wednesday).

Plans for almost 300 homes on the 17-hectare site could get the go ahead in the meeting at the council offices in Shute End at 7pm.

The proposal replaces empty academic buildings with homes and would convert six of the student halls into apartments.

Existing playing fields would be enhanced and there would be a new sports pavilion. Plans also include shops and a 60 to 80 bed care home.

Summarising the development in her report for the committee, council officer Jennifer Seaman said: "The proposed development will regenerate a part of Woodley in a comprehensive way including considerable investment in local sports and improve the wildlife and recreational amenity whilst retaining and enhancing landscape features and qualities of the site."

The officer notes however that new residential development is proposed for 10 per cent of the land designated as a site of urban landscape value.

The university submitted an application to build on its former campus in January and a decision on the plans was originally expected in May but negotiations have pushed the decision into the autumn.

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Most recent user comments 4 of 4

300 houses, a shop and a sports centre I believe. My mum used to say that common sense is the most important of all life skills. Common sense says that we really can't have such a large increase in new builds in that part of Woodley, especially as it’s not supported by better infrastructure (toilets in Woodley for example).

Cllr. Tahir Maher, Earley
04/10/2012 at 10:40

Just back from the planning meeting and despite objections from Woodley Town Council, Earley Town Council, all local ward councillors and the fact that the proposal is against the council's own planning policies the committee nodded this through, with hardly a word of debate.

This development is partially in a protected area called a Site of Urban Landscape Value and Sports England objected to the loss of playing fields. The committee could have down turned this application, as it stood, but chose to vote it through!

The University was given this land by the community through Berkshire County Council and the University will take the money and run and leave the community to pick up the pieces.

So much for Localism!

Phil Challis, woodley
03/10/2012 at 22:03

No new infrastrucure, just cramming another 350 house into an ex education site, just like WBC has done on much of the old Bulmershe 'Common', so of course they have to give consent as they set the precedent. An ideal opportunity to put in a new link road to the A3290 to relieve the current congestion, but the Chairman totally ignored the suggestion, not even giving it a community airing. And if they only looked at the site and the plans they will see that houses are proposed on a field where games were being played last month. And what are WBC going to do with the sec 106 funds they have spent more time negogiating, than considering any other aspect of this very major scheme. WBC, you do let Woodley down.