READING Borough Council has launched a consultation on key proposals for housing, infrastructure, and development.
The council has today begun to take submissions from residents for its local plan, which guides how it proceeds with a number of important proposals for the town,
It outlines policies on issues such as future housing, provision of affordable homes, and how sustainable development will be carried out, as well how associated infrastructure is implemented.
First adopted in 2019, the local plan is being updated in light of recent changes to national planning legislation amid a UK-wide housing shortage and continued rising costs.
It focuses on affordable housing and energy efficiency, with plans for 689 homes a year currently in place.
However recent changes to how need for housing is calculated means the council is instead proposing to bring the figure up to 800 a year.
The update will also seek to bring the target proportion of new housing being suitable for families from 50% to 67%.
It also acknowledges that developments in central Reading are likely to be made up of one- and two-bedroom homes, but still seeks to deliver an increase in family housing.
The consultation includes potential additional sites for development, which residents are being invited to offer their views on, as well as those of landowners and organisations.
It will run for six weeks until January 31 next year, and returned to the Committee in July before it is submitted to the Secretary of State for approval.
Councillor Micky Leng, Reading Borough Council’s lead for planning, said: “As a Council we want to work with developers to address the desperate shortage of family-sized homes in Reading and I am pleased to see the revised draft proposes a 67% target outside the central area, up from 50%.
“We have also committed to aim for Reading to be a net zero town by 2030 and the Local Plan already plays a huge role by setting high standards for developers in terms of creating genuinely sustainable homes, and importantly, the role energy efficient homes play in driving down costs for struggling households.”
He explained: “The Local Plan is not just about building new homes though. It is also about protection of land and changes in national law and policy which mean that greater protection must also be afforded to biodiversity, wildlife and existing habitats.
“There is a need to update 45 of the 90 existing policies. Some residents may have a policy interest they’re focused on, it could be our Public Realm, Build to Rent, Affordable Homes Policy or a particular place such as the Royal Berks Hospital.
“There are 80 plus questions in the consultation and I recognise the Christmas period is a busy time of year for our residents. You don’t have to answer all of the questions, you can choose however many you wish.”
He added: “This is a genuine opportunity to influence the role of development in your town, for many years to come.
“I’d urge residents, businesses and organisations across Reading to take some time over the coming weeks to take a look at our intended direction of travel and feed into the plans.”
Consultation on the council’s Local Plan has begun and will last for six weeks until 5pm on Wednesday, January 31.
Full details of the proposals are available to view via: reading.gov.uk/localplanupdate
Drop-in sessions will be held in the Civic Offices, Bridge Street, for residents to make submissions in person, from 1pm-6pm on Thursday, December 7, and from 2pm-7pm on Monday, December 11.
There is also an online seminar at 6pm on Wednesday, December 13.
Further details of attendance available by contacting: planningpolicy@reading.gov.uk
Online submissions can be made via: consult.reading.gov.uk/dens/local-plan-consultation/
