West Berkshire Council site allocations consultation

West Berkshire Council are consulting on two important documents:

Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) Preferred Options

This document allocates specific smaller scale housing sites to meet the remainder of the 10,500 housing figure identified in the adopted Core Strategy DPD. These sites will be in those areas defined by the adopted Core Strategy’s settlement hierarchy as urban areas, rural service centres or service villages.

Sites for gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople will also be allocated in the DPD, and a revised policy for Sandleford Park strategic site allocation and residential parking policy for new development will also be included. The criteria which we intend to use to revise settlement boundaries is also being published for consultation. Policies to guide development in the countryside will be subject to consultation in the autumn.

West Berkshire Council is holding a seven week informal consultation period between Friday 25 July and Friday 12 September 2014.  

Draft Planning Obligations SPD

West Berkshire Council currently seeks developer contributions in accordance with our ‘Delivering Investment from Sustainable Development’ Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).  The SPD provides guidance, to those wishing to develop in West Berkshire, about the level and scope of developer contributions likely to be required from development of 1 new dwelling or more, or commercial development accommodating 10 or more employees. 

The SPD has recently been updated to provide guidance for the development industry about the much reduced use of developer contributions after the Council’s implementation of the Community Infrastructure Levy on 1 April 2015. 

Comments are now sought on the draft SPD between Friday 25 July and Friday 12 September 2014.