Off Longwater Road, Finchampstead, Berkshire
Proposed New Homes and Public Open Space
Planning Applications
December 2024 - we have submitted an updated application.
The application will be available to view on the planning portal of the Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) website.
They key changes include:
- Reduction in unit numbers from 40 to 38 with 60% affordable housing
- Looser, more rural layout with a more informal network of streets
- Introduction of north-south views through the site toward the country park to the south
- Introduction of a much larger green space on the southern edge to aid the transition with the open countryside/country park to the south
- Introduction of a small central green space together with more street planting throughout
A full application for land off Longwater Road, Finchampstead was submitted (Ref: 241567, June 2024) to Wokingham Borough Council (WBC).
The proposals have been prepared in conjunction with Stonebond Properties (Guildford) Ltd.
Statutory consultees and local residents will have the opportunity to formally comment on the application direct with WBC.
We will continue to work closely with WBC and where necessary will respond to statutory consultees through the planning process.
Full Planning Application
A full planning application provides more detail regarding:
Layout - Includes buildings, routes and open spaces within the development and the way they are laid out in relation to buildings and spaces outside the development.
Scale - Includes information on the size of the development, including the height, width and length of each proposed building.
Appearance - Aspects of a building or place which affect the way it looks, including the exterior of the development.
Landscaping - The improvement or protection of the amenities of the site and the area and the surrounding area, this could include new planting such as trees and bushes.
Statutory consultees for example the Environment Agency and the Highways Authority, and local residents will also have the opportunity to formally comment on the application through the Council.
Design Considerations
Development Framework - The proposed framework responds to the constraints and opportunities of the site, ensuring the existing landscape and vegetation enclosing the site is given prominence within the development.
Residential homes are to be integrated within the landscape led setting, enabling the overall development to deliver a sequence of routes, streets and spaces.
Block Structure - The block structure is highly permeable with strong degrees of natural surveillance, through the perimeter block forms and with all views terminating on buildings or vegetation to enable a heightened sense of legibility.
Scale & Massing - All residential dwellings are 2 storey housing.
Permeability - The site is highly permeable, offering pedestrian routes throughout and into the proposed open spaces.
Highly sustainable location for new homes
The site is highly sustainable and is within walking distance to local services and facilities located in in the village, including the Finchampstead primary school and the Greyhound pub which sells a range of day-to-day essentials.
The site has no identified environmental or technical constraints that would prevent it from coming forward for development and can be developed immediately.
Funding generated by new homes in Finchampstead
Funding for services and infrastructure, such as schools, doctors, highway improvements, environmental improvements etc. will be made available via financial contributions that are the responsibility of the developer.
Using the current CIL charging schedule should housing come forward on this site, this could provide significant investment towards infrastructure improvements.
With an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, Finchampstead Parish Council will receive 25% of the CIL funding generated by the site.
What Is affordable housing?
At least 70% of the homes proposed will be affordable housing, comprising a mixture of affordable homes for rent and affordable routes to home-ownership.
The affordable rented homes will be allocated to eligible households on the waiting list, with priority given to local residents or those with a local connection.
The provision of affordable housing is a significant benefit; it means that households who are currently ‘priced-out’ of the market will have greater opportunities to access good-quality housing.
This is particularly pertinent in Finchampstead where the average house price over the last year was £675,986 (Rightmove) compared to the UK average of £285,000 (ONS).
Strategic land promotion in Finchampstead
Catesby Estates has been selected to promote land of Longwater Road, Finchampstead.
The site is 5.6 acres adjoining the built up edge of Finchampstead and is located in the administrative area of Wokingham Borough Council.
Site Specifics
5.6 Acre Site (2.3 Hectares)
Up To 38 New Homes
Affordable Housing - At Least 60% Affordable Housing.
Affordable housing is a combination of rent and shared ownership housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.
This will assist those looking for their first home, and lower income individuals and families get on the housing ladder in Finchampstead.
Open Space - We have created an informal area of open space.
This shall remain a natural area where the focus is on providing increased biodiversity opportunities by maintaining and enhancing the existing grassland and providing habitat for insects and reptiles.
Along with a new connection to the Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve extension enabling residents direct access from the village.
Highways - Access is via Longwater Road.
Parking has been designed to meet local standards and to ensure it does not dominate the street scenes, whilst also being convenient for residents and visitors.
Catesby are committed to providing an improved bus service to and from Finchampstead to Wokingham during the morning and evening rush hour on every weekday.
New walking and cycling routes will be provided within the site as well as connections onto the wider network, which in turn connect to services and facilities in Finchampstead
Biodiversity - The landscape design seeks to integrate the new housing into the landscape, retaining and enhancing the vast majority of boundary hedgerow and trees, along with the planting of additional trees and creation of public open space.
A range of wildlife friendly features will also be incorporated (i.e., bat and bird boxes, hedgehog highways), in addition to soft landscaping which will include habitats such as grasslands (featuring wildflower) and large vegetative buffers to the boundaries providing a permeable site for wildlife.
We are required by policy to deliver a positive net gain in biodiversity on this site.
A full ecology report will be submitted as part of the planning application demonstrating how this is achieved.
Drainage - The site is wholly situated within the Environment Agency’s designated Flood Zone 1.
These are areas with a less than 1 in 1,000 annual probability of flooding from rivers. This is the lowest probability of flooding and is considered suitable for residential properties in national policy.
Utilities. Will be assessed and any capacity constraints acknowledged.
Where necessary any capacity constraints will be identified and suitable mitigation/diversions proposed.
Heritage. Current indications show that there are no archaeological features which would represent a constraint to development are present. The site does not fall within a conservation area and there are no listed buildings within the site.
Public Consultation. The consultation for our proposals ended Sunday 9th June 2024.
Planning Applications
December 2024 - we have submitted an updated application.
The application will be available to view on the planning portal of the Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) website.
They key changes include:
- Reduction in unit numbers from 40 to 38 with 60% affordable housing
- Looser, more rural layout with a more informal network of streets
- Introduction of north-south views through the site toward the country park to the south
- Introduction of a much larger green space on the southern edge to aid the transition with the open countryside/country park to the south
- Introduction of a small central green space together with more street planting throughout
A full application for land off Longwater Road, Finchampstead was submitted (Ref: 241567, June 2024) to Wokingham Borough Council (WBC).
The proposals have been prepared in conjunction with Stonebond Properties (Guildford) Ltd.
Statutory consultees and local residents will have the opportunity to formally comment on the application direct with WBC.
We will continue to work closely with WBC and where necessary will respond to statutory consultees through the planning process.
Full Planning Application
A full planning application provides more detail regarding:
Layout - Includes buildings, routes and open spaces within the development and the way they are laid out in relation to buildings and spaces outside the development.
Scale - Includes information on the size of the development, including the height, width and length of each proposed building.
Appearance - Aspects of a building or place which affect the way it looks, including the exterior of the development.
Landscaping - The improvement or protection of the amenities of the site and the area and the surrounding area, this could include new planting such as trees and bushes.
Statutory consultees for example the Environment Agency and the Highways Authority, and local residents will also have the opportunity to formally comment on the application through the Council.
Design Considerations
Development Framework - The proposed framework responds to the constraints and opportunities of the site, ensuring the existing landscape and vegetation enclosing the site is given prominence within the development.
Residential homes are to be integrated within the landscape led setting, enabling the overall development to deliver a sequence of routes, streets and spaces.
Block Structure - The block structure is highly permeable with strong degrees of natural surveillance, through the perimeter block forms and with all views terminating on buildings or vegetation to enable a heightened sense of legibility.
Scale & Massing - All residential dwellings are 2 storey housing.
Permeability - The site is highly permeable, offering pedestrian routes throughout and into the proposed open spaces.
Highly sustainable location for new homes
The site is highly sustainable and is within walking distance to local services and facilities located in in the village, including the Finchampstead primary school and the Greyhound pub which sells a range of day-to-day essentials.
The site has no identified environmental or technical constraints that would prevent it from coming forward for development and can be developed immediately.
Funding generated by new homes in Finchampstead
Funding for services and infrastructure, such as schools, doctors, highway improvements, environmental improvements etc. will be made available via financial contributions that are the responsibility of the developer.
Using the current CIL charging schedule should housing come forward on this site, this could provide significant investment towards infrastructure improvements.
With an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, Finchampstead Parish Council will receive 25% of the CIL funding generated by the site.
What Is affordable housing?
At least 70% of the homes proposed will be affordable housing, comprising a mixture of affordable homes for rent and affordable routes to home-ownership.
The affordable rented homes will be allocated to eligible households on the waiting list, with priority given to local residents or those with a local connection.
The provision of affordable housing is a significant benefit; it means that households who are currently ‘priced-out’ of the market will have greater opportunities to access good-quality housing.
This is particularly pertinent in Finchampstead where the average house price over the last year was £675,986 (Rightmove) compared to the UK average of £285,000 (ONS).
Strategic land promotion in Finchampstead
Catesby Estates has been selected to promote land of Longwater Road, Finchampstead.
The site is 5.6 acres adjoining the built up edge of Finchampstead and is located in the administrative area of Wokingham Borough Council.
