MORE than 200 protestors gathered in pouring rain last night in a last-ditch bid to prevent a golf course from being turned into housing.
The protest took place outside Reading Borough Council’s civic offices ahead of a meeting of its planning committee, held on Wednesday, March 2.
While the council met to discuss plans to redevelop parts of Reading Golf Club, campaigners from Keep Emmer Green made their voice heard against the plans to demolish the golf course – which has closed – and build 223 homes on the site.
Planning officers at the council had recommended approval of the plans, and in the meeting a majority of councillors agreed with them.
However, members of the Keep Emmer Green campaign say the plans would not only cause problems for nearby residents and wildlife, but also contradict the council’s own local plan.
KEG campaigners believe this contradicts the council’s own local plan, adopted in 2019, which aims to provide more affordable housing, while reducing the impact of climate change.
And they argue that the proposed development could see a drop in biodiversity in the area, also contrary to the local plan.
Ian Morgan, a member of Keep Emmer Green, said: “The local plan is there because the council plan what local infrastructure can take.
“They plan for services and housing requirements, but even in the council office’s response to this application they say there is no requirement for
housing.”
As the planning permission meeting continued, protestors chanted calls of “RBC, stick to the plan” and “dirty air, don’t you care?”
Mr Morgan said: “The application is against many other policies, like the protection of local land.
“If they can’t defend it, then what was the point of the local plan.”
READ MORE: Councillors vote to approve plans for 223 new homes on Reading Golf Club site
