- West Berkshire has identified a need for 8,000 to 9,000 net additional new homes to meet the rising population locally over the next 15 years.
- Sandleford Park is allocated as one of the strategic sites capable of delivering these homes in West Berkshire’s Core Development Strategy.
- Outline planning permission for residential development on Sandleford Park East (part of the allocation) was allowed at appeal in May 2022 by the Secretary of State for up to 1,080 homes and supporting infrastructure which established the principle of development. The balance of the allocation, to the west is subject to separate ownership and its own planning application (Sandleford Park West – SPW)
- The site represents an area of approximately 114ha – approximately 70% of which will be dedicated to a Country Park.
- Outline planning permission was granted in May 2022 by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities with all matters of detail reserved except for access for up to 1,000 new homes; 80 extra care housing units; a new two-form entry primary school; expansion land for Park House Academy School; a local centre to comprise flexible commercial floorspace and D1 use; the formation of new means of access onto Monks Lane, new open space including the laying out of a country park; drainage infrastructure; walking and cycling infrastructure; and other associated infrastructure works.
- This outline planning permission establishes the principle of development and means of access along with offsite highway improvements and the infrastructure requirements, as set out in the accompanying unilateral undertaking (known as a Section 106).
- The outline planning permission approved a number of controlling plans establishing the limits within which new housing can be built, for example, maximum building heights, where new housing can be built, the location of vehicle access points, the general location for the new school, and pedestrian and cycle accesses.
- In due course, we would like to work with the community to develop the design in more detail which will be submitted to West Berkshire Council as a series of what are known as Reserved Matters Applications.
- Reserved Matters Applications cover the details of the homes and landscaping, the final layout of each area and the road, pedestrian, and cycle routes.
- A Reserved Matters Application will be needed for each parcel of land / phase brought forward for development. We envisage the first submissions of Reserved Matters Applications in late 2024, the first of which is likely to be for infrastructure.
- Sandleford Park East will be served by two points of access off Monks Lane, which were approved as part of the outline planning permission, together with an existing link road from the A339 to the east. A future connection to the remainder of the strategic allocation to the west will be provided, so the sites can link up in the future.
- No, this access is not controlled by the developers of Sandleford Park East and does not form part of the outline planning permission; it is not required for this part of the allocation.
- Although the outline planning permission allows up to 1,080 new homes, we anticipate that the actual number will be less than this. The lower number of units is a result of completing the various required surveys and ensuring that appropriate buffers are provided to sensitive receptors (e.g. ancient woodlands).
- The development will also provide a new primary school, local shops, and an extensive country park for public use.
- Of the new homes, 40% will be affordable and handed to a Registered Provider in perpetuity.
- The affordable homes include both apartments and family housing and will be available for rent at a discounted rate and shared ownership.
- A range of homes will be built to meet local needs, from 1-bedroom apartments through to two-, three- and four-bedroom homes; providing homes for all from first time buyers to those downsizing.
- We are submitting some ‘discharge of condition applications’, which provide information required to be approved before we can begin working on the detailed layouts. These include information relating to the phasing of the development, the Country Park, the location of the new school and school expansion area, and an Urban Design Code, which once approved will provide the framework for the detailed designs.
- A site of this size will be built over a number of years; it is expected that around 120 homes per year can be delivered.
- The timing of the delivery of infrastructure needed to enable the new housing to be built is controlled by the Section 106 unilateral undertaking which sets out the following key triggers:
- Transfer of the primary school land to the Council by completion and occupation of 100th new house
- Transfer of the Park House School expansion land by completion and occupation of 200th new house
- Phased transfer of the new public open space. This is also intended to be the case for the Country Park
- Phased financial payments towards the provision of the new school; expansion of facilities at Park House School; primary health care provision and local bus services
- Improvements to nearby roads, junctions and accesses
- We are undertaking technical work to inform the discharge of conditions applications and in due course the detailed layouts.
- Over the coming months and years, we will engage with our neighbours and the wider Newbury community on the Reserved Matters Applications. You can sign up for our newsletter to be the first to find out updates.
- The Council will also undertake their own consultation processes as part of the Reserved Matters Applications.
- The appropriate level of protection will formally be agreed as part of the discharge of conditions process.
- Public access will be controlled to the woodlands as part of the Country Park Management scheme.
- Land for a new two-form entry primary school will be provided as part of the development, alongside expansion of the land and facilities for Park House School.
- Financial payments will be made to fund the construction of the new primary school and the expansion of facilities at the Falkland Doctor’s Surgery, Park House School and the Rugby Club.
- The funding and associated time triggers for the payments for local services and associated timing triggers are all set out in the Section 106 Unilateral Undertaking, which was approved as part of the appeal decision. The development will also be liable for Community Infrastructure Levy payments to the Local Council/s to fund local infrastructure, such as the provision of Community Centre as required by the appeal decision, upon commencement of each phase.
- Bloor Homes has engaged with Thames Water, who have considered Sandleford Park East in their capital funding. This considers the organic growth of Sandleford with approved development to deliver a holistic reinforcement programme to improve the capacity and reliability of the Newbury clean water supply and foul water drainage networks.
- Thames Water has confirmed that there will be the appropriate level of capacity in the networks, to provide clean water and remove foul water from the development site without the need for site specific works.
- The impact on the local roads was established as part of the appeal case and as part of that process and the outline planning permission and associated Section 106 unilateral Undertaking the funding of a series of local road network improvements was agreed and approved.
- This important detail will form part of the Reserved Matters Applications. Parking arrangements will be informed by the requirements of the Council’s parking standards.
- In due course, we need to work together with the local community and stakeholder groups to develop the design in more detail which will be submitted to West Berkshire Council as a series of Reserved Matters Applications starting in late 2024. Subject to the progress of those Reserved Matters Applications, we would expect to start the construction of infrastructure in 2025.
- New bus services will be provided though the development, and connect to existing services in the local area.
- The proposals have been developed to encourage and enable cycling and walking. Safe and attractive cycle routes will be provided through the site and link to the local cycle network. There will be many walking routes through the site and Country Park which will link to the existing footpath network.
- Construction vehicles will access the development from Monks Lane.