Woodland Glade adj to 6 St. Michaels Cottages, Old Wokingham Road Wokingham RG403DU

1. 1.The proposed development is outside of and unconnected to development limits and within the countryside, contrary to the spatial strategy and objectives of the development plan and to Policies CP1, CP3, CP6, CP9 and CP11 of the Core Strategy, Policies CC01, CC02, CC03 and TB21 of the MDD Local Plan and sections 2, 4, 9 and 15 of the NPPF.
2. 2.The application site is within a poorly sustainable location that would not encourage a modal shift towards sustainable modes of transport, by reason of the countryside location outside of settlement limits, distances to facilities and services, lack of good public transport links and poor quality of the walking/cycling environment, contrary to Policies CP1, CP2, CP3, CP6 and CP11 of the Core Strategy, Policies CC01 and CC02 of the MDD Local Plan and sections 8 and 9 of the NPPF.
3. 3.The proposal would result in unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the area by introducing residential development into an undeveloped woodland Public: Information that can be seen and used by everyone inside and outside the Council. setting. The development would erode the site's role as an important transitional area between the urban edge and the surrounding countryside, which currently contributes positively to the rural character and visual quality of the area. This would be contrary to policies CP1, CP3 and CP11 of the Core Strategy, and Policies CC03 and TB21 of the MDD Local Plan, the Wokingham Borough Landscape Character Assessment and section 15 of the NPPF.
4. 4.In accordance with the National Planning Policy Guidance, permission in principle must not be granted for development which is habitats development. The application site lies within the 5km zone of influence of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, which is a qualifying European site. The proposal fails to provide avoidance measures for the adverse effect on the integrity of the European protected site which renders the proposal as habitats development. As such, the LPA is unable to satisfy itself that the proposals include adequate mitigation measures to prevent the proposed development from having an adverse effect on the integrity of the Thames Basin Heaths SPA, in line with the requirements of Regulation 63 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 as amended and Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC. The proposal would be contrary to Policy NRM6 of the South East Plan, Policies CP8 and CP4 of the Core Strategy.
5. 5.The application site is located within an area identified as being at risk of groundwater flooding. In the absence of a Sequential Test, the applicant has failed to demonstrate that there are no reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas at a lower risk of flooding. The Local Planning Authority is therefore not satisfied that the principle of development is acceptable on this site. The proposal is consequently contrary to paragraphs 173 and 174 of the National Planning Policy Framework, Policy CP9 of the Wokingham Borough Core Strategy and Policy CC09 and CC10 of the Managing Development Delivery Plan, which seek to ensure that development is directed away from areas at risk of flooding and that all sources of flood risk are appropriately assessed through application of the sequential approach.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

RG40 3DU

Application type

Outline

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Wokingham Without

Date validated

22 June 2026

Consultation expiry

14 July 2026

Consultation start

23 June 2026

Consultation end

14 July 2026

Application expires

27 July 2026

Agent address

Rusper Road Newdigate Dorking RH5 5BX

Case officer

Tariq Bailey-Biggs

Statutory period

35 days

Appeal result

N

Documents

6