Cherry Orchard Tutts Clump Reading RG7 6LB

1. 1.The proposed development is the extension to an existing barn and no details of sustainable drainage have been provided to demonstrate that the development can be carried out without increasing the risk of flooding outside the application site. No details of SuDS features have been submitted with the application, and no soakage testing to BRE365 standards has been provided to demonstrate that infiltration is viable on the site to rule out the use of infiltration in line with the drainage hierarchy. The application has not demonstrated that an adequate surface water drainage strategy can be provided which does not increase the risk of flooding on the site or elsewhere, particularly the areas at risk of surface water flooding to the south of the site which are at a lower ground level. The proposal is contrary to Policies SP5 and S6 of The West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023- 2041, the Sustainable Drainage Systems SPD (2018) and the advice contained within the NPPF.
2. 2.The proposed development is an extension to an existing barn, and needs to meet statutory Biodiversity Net Gain. The Biodiversity Metric submitted with the application fails to meet national validation requirements as the walkover survey was not completed by a qualified ecologist and the Baseline habitat reference 1 does not include a dated photograph. In addition, the proposed site plan appears to show the extension covering the artificial, unvegetated, unsealed surface and then extending past the boundary fence further east by 2.8 metres and equals to an estimated loss after the sealed surface of approximately 44 metres of modified grassland, a horse paddock with active grazing. The baseline ecological information is not agreed as the application has not considered the impact of the loss of habitat under statutory Biodiversity Net Gain, and states in the application form, Biodiversity Gain Plan and associated BNG metric that the current site value is 0 Biodiversity units as it only considers the artificial surfacing. The proposal fails to accord with Policy SP11 of The West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023-2041, Schedule 7A (Biodiversity Gain in England) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the advice contained within the NPPF.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

RG7 6LB

Date validated

13 January 2026