Concerns raised over increased development in Charvil and Twyford if Grazeley plans fall through

Concerns have been raised that more homes could be built in Twyford and Charvil if a key strategic site earmarked for a garden village is removed from the draft Wokingham Local Plan.

Cllr Stephen Conway (Lib Dem, Twyford) told Twyford Parish Council that the draft local plan was moving ‘very slowly’ due to issues with the Grazeley site.

The Grazeley site has been earmarked for a garden village but ‘doubts have now been cast’ on this site, he told the meeting on Tuesday, November 24.

Twyford parish councillor Tom Winchester asked Cllr Conway about developments in Charvil.

Cllr Conway stated that there are ‘several sites’ in Charvil in the draft Local Plan as well as Bridge Farm site in Twyford.

But he added that there is ‘now potential’ for some of the sites that were discounted to be brought back in due to the ‘anxiety’ about providing the required number of houses without the Grazeley development.

He did not specify which discounted sites could be brought back into the plan.

Cllr Winchester added that the developments will have an impact upon schools such as Charvil Primary School and the Piggott School which are already ‘full’.

Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement, said: “Earlier this year we consulted on a draft local plan strategy which proposed a garden town at Grazeley at its heart which included upfront infrastructure, strong public transport links and a truly long term contribution to meeting development requirements.

“Since then a legislative change has caused emergency planning requirements around the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield to be extended so that they for the first time include the Grazeley area. The Defence Nuclear Organisation, part of the Ministry of Defence, is now objecting to the Grazeley garden town proposal and is requesting its removal from the local plan.

“In light of the changed circumstances, we have started the process of looking at alternatives as the Grazeley garden town may no longer be achievable. We will consult on these matters when we know more.”

Twyford Christmas fayre postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

At the meeting, Cllr Stephen Conway (Lib Dem, Twyford) also revealed that the Twyford Christmas fayre has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that while there are hopes to run a spring or Easter fair in the new year, he has negotiated, with Wokingham Borough Council’s joint recovery group, access to the virtual Wokingham Virtual Christmas Market.

This will give businesses and charities an opportunity to promote themselves.

The fayre will cost each company and organisation £20 to join and they have until December 21 to sign up.

Cllr Conway said: “We're hoping that will help some of the people who are going to lose out in terms of real sales at Christmas, a virtual fair seems quite a good idea and [it could] potentially bring their activities to the notice of a much wider audience than would have been the case with the Twyford Christmas Fayre.”

Twyford parish councillor Rohan Abeywardana asked if the virtual market could be free for companies and organisations due to the current climate and Cllr Conway said he would put the question to WBC.

Cllr Conway also provided an update on the potential of WBC providing free school meals to those who would normally be eligible, during the school holidays and particularly the upcoming Christmas holidays.

He stated that the Government ‘seems to have had a change of heart’ and have allocated some money, that could be used to provide the meals, to WBC.

He said: “We really now just want to get a commitment that it will be used in that way. It will cover in the future, not just the main school holidays, but also half terms.

“I feel quite optimistic now that those children who would normally get free school meals in term time will be given some help over the upcoming Christmas holidays.”