Wokingham Borough Council Proposed Submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (Local Plan) (MDD DPD)
INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLAN JUNE 2012
Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Proposed submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD) June 2012
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) seeks to ensure that Local Plans plan positively for the development and infrastructure required in the area to meet the objectives, principles, and policies of the NPPF.
1.2 The Borough’s Local Development Framework includes the Core Strategy and Proposed Submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD). These are the Local Plans for the Borough.
1.3 Wokingham Borough’s spatial strategy, which reflects the Council’s Sustainable Community Strategy, is set out in the adopted Core Strategy (January 2010). The Core Strategy was found sound following an independent Examination in Public in 2009. The Core Strategy identifies four Strategic Development Locations (SDLs) which will meet the majority of the Borough’s housing requirements to 2026. Policies CP18, Arborfield Garrison SDL, CP19 South of M4 SDL, CP20 North Wokingham SDL and CP21 South Wokingham SDL and Appendix 7 of the Core Strategy set out the strategic and local infrastructure requirements necessary to develop these areas as sustainable communities.
1.4 Further guidance on this approach and how the infrastructure set out in Policies CP18-CP21 and Appendix 7 should be provided is set out in the Council’s adopted Infrastructure Delivery and Contributions Supplementary Planning Documents for the Strategic Development Locations (SPD) (October 2010 and October 2011).
1.5 The Core Strategy and the Infrastructure Delivery and Contributions SPDs were subject to independent viability testing and the approaches were found to be viable.
1.6 The Core Strategy states that sites to meet the remaining housing requirement outside of the SDLs would be allocated in the MDD DPD. The MDD DPD identifies sites to meet the remainder of the housing requirement outside of the SDLs and to ensure a rolling 5 year housing land supply.
1.7 The MDD DPD identifies sites for the delivery of around 840 dwellings to 2026 with allocated reserve sites of around 135 dwellings. The MDD DPD in Policy SAL03: Allocated reserve housing sites, makes it clear that reserve sites would not be released until after 1 April 2026 unless the Council accepts that the overall dwelling requirement for 13,230 net additional dwellings within the Borough between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2026 is unlikely to be achieved; there is a deficit in the 5 year rolling housing land supply, or an approved Neighbourhood Plan confirms that residential development of an allocated reserve site can occur before 1 April 2026.
1.8 Appendix 12 of the MDD DPD sets out some of the specific requirements associated with sites allocated in the MDD DPD. Any application for development will also need to ensure it accords with all relevant policies in
2 Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Proposed submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD) June 2012 the Development Plan, including parking provision, provision of open space and dwelling mix. The requirements set out reflect infrastructure requirements currently sought on this type of development through the Council’s Planning Advice Note on Infrastructure Impact Mitigation Contributions for New Development (revised 2010).
As such the requirements should not impact on the viability of delivering sites allocated. There may be more specific contributions required from some allocated sites where there is a need for that site to contribute to a specific scheme set out in the Core Strategy or the MDD DPD. For example sites allocated within Wokingham Town Centre may need to contribute to the provision of the Station Link Road.
1.9 In bringing sites forward regard will need to be given to Core Strategy Policy CP4 Infrastructure Requirements which states:
“Planning permission will not be granted unless appropriate arrangements for the improvement or provision of infrastructure, services, community, and other facilities required for the development taking account of the cumulative impact of schemes are agreed. Arrangements for provision or improvement to the required standard will be secured by planning obligations or condition if appropriate”. This will be particularly relevant in areas where there are a number of sites within close proximity.
1.10 The Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) for the MDD DPD forms part of the evidence base and seeks to identify the infrastructure implications and requirements of the growth identified in the MDD DPD. The IDP is a live document, and will be used to inform the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule. Proposals for development will make appropriate provision for the infrastructure, services, resources and amenities set out in the Council’s Planning Advice Note on Infrastructure Impact Mitigation Contributions for New Development, Supplementary Planning Documents, and/or the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule. Provision may also be secured through planning obligations (Section 106 contributions) in line with Regulation 122 of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010.
1.11 In preparing the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the MDD DPD the Council has sought information from a range of sources, including service providers within the Council such as education, transport housing, and leisure and from external organisations such as the Primary Care Trust, Utilities, Police, Fire and Rescue. The Council has also undertaken work with Parish and Town Councils regarding local infrastructure needs .
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2.0 Infrastructure Requirements
2.1 This section provides an overview of the physical, and social and community and green Infrastructure requirements which will be required through the development proposed in the MDD DPD.
2.2 Physical Infrastructure
Water Supply & Waste Water
Lead Thames Water Utilities Ltd Organisation(s) South East Water
Office of Water Services (Ofwat)
Main Sources Thames Water Strategic Direction Statement ‘Taking care of Information of water, the next 25 years’ 2010 - 2035
Thames Water Business Plan 2010 - 2015 ‘Our Plans for 2010 – 2015’
Thames Water Water Resources Management Plan 2010 - 2015
Thames Water Draft Drought Plan 2011
South East Water Strategic Direction Statement 2007
South East Water Business Plan 2010 - 2015 ‘Future Plans 2010 – 2015’
South East Water Water Resources Management Plan 2010 - 2035
South East Water Final Draft Drought Plan 2007
Water Resources Strategy for England and Wales (Environment Agency, 2009)
Existing Water Supply Provision Thames Water and South East Water are responsible for water supply and supply infrastructure in the Borough. Generally, Thames Water is responsible for the north western part of the Borough with South East Water is responsible for the south eastern part. Thames Water’s water supply area in the Borough is divided between the Kennet Valley and Henley Water Resource Zones (WRZs). South East Water’s water supply area in the Borough is
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area RZ4.
Thames Water, Kennet Valley and Henley WRZ
The Kennet Valley WRZ has recently benefitted from an upgrade to the water treatment works to enable more water to be treated.
Kennet Valley and Henley WRZs are forecasted to maintain a surplus over the planning period 2009 – 2035. This surplus will gradually decline as demand grows and planning uncertainties increase.
South East Water, RZ4
RZ4 has a surplus in supply in the early years of the planning period 2010 – 2035. Once this surplus has been removed by forecast increases in demand, it is proposed to transfer existing surplus supply in RZ5 to RZ4 via the existing Inter-Resource Zone transfer between the Zones.
Wastewater and Sewerage
Thames Water owns and operates the public wastewater and sewerage system and treatment works. Existing Sewerage Works: • Easthampstead Park sewage works, which discharges treated water into Emm Brook, which discharges treated water into Ashridge Stream • Wokingham sewage works, which discharges treated water into Ashridge Stream • Wargrave Sewerage Treatment Works
Thames Water’s five year plan, from 2010-2015, sets out proposals to maintain and improve their services during that period. This is their business plan that is submitted Ofwat, outlining future investment priorities and the likely cost. Thames Water has confirmed that there are no specific plans in this period to upgrade the Sewage Treatment Works in Wokingham.
The level of growth from the sites proposed to be allocated in the MDD DPD does not pose an issue with regard to ongoing provision of sewage treatment. However, Thames Water has indicated that future phasing of growth may be required in order that growth does not occur at a greater rate than the Sewerage Treatment Works (STW) could accommodate.
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Planned Provision Water and Waste Water Statutory water undertakers (Thames Water and South East Water) have a duty to maintain the security of water supply and every five years they are required to produce a Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), which sets out how they plan to provide water to meet customers’ needs while protecting the environment over a 25-year period. This is done within the context of their 25 year Strategic Direction Statement.
In some cases, Thames Water has agreed with Ofwat the exact locations where we will be investing, while in other cases there is flexibility to decide where best to make the improvements.
Water Supply Thames Water, Kennet Valley and Henley WRZ
In the Kennet Valley and Henley WRZs no deficit on either unrestrained annual average or peak week conditions is forecast to occur over the planning period 2009 – 2035.
While Kennet Valley and Henley WRZs will maintain a surplus over the planning period 2009 – 2035, Thames Water has identified some areas with known local infrastructure capacity constraints. These will require detailed investigation and modelling to determine whether infrastructure upgrades are required. These areas will need to be addressed individually on a site by site basis by developers with Thames Water as and when development proposals are being prepared.
South East Water, RZ4
While RZ5 will provide part support to RZ4 during the planning period to 2035, further groundwater resource development will still be necessary in RZ4. This is currently proposed at Lasham, West Ham, and Woodgarston. This will require further investigation to determine their feasibility during the plan period.
Thames Water Drainage Network
Thames Water will expand its sewer network and treatment capacity to meet the demands of planned new development across the region. This will allow more than 200,000 new properties to connect to our sewer system between 2010 and 2015.
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Water Quality Thames Water believes that untreated water may be at risk of pollution from agricultural run-off; as such it will install an additional stage of treatment to ensure that drinking water remains unaffected. This will benefit parts of Berkshire. It also plans to work with farmers, manufacturers and others to protect sources of drinking water from a widely used agricultural chemical. This project will benefit parts of Wokingham.
Water Efficiency & Water metering
Thames Water is beginning a programme to increase the proportion of domestic properties with meters from 28 per cent to 37 per cent by 2015. Its strategy is to ensure 80 per cent of homes are metered by 2025.
Water Treatment and Flooding
Thames Water plans to provide better flood protection and make other improvements to water treatment works and pumping stations in Berkshire. This will ensure the protection of drinking water quality for more than 200,000 customers in the event of a flood.
Protecting & Improving streams and rivers
Thames Water plans to investigate the potential presence in its discharge of specific trace substances that are not completely removed by the sewage treatment process. This will include Easthampstead Park sewage works, which discharges treated water into Emm Brook and at Wokingham sewage works, which discharges treated water into Ashridge Stream.
Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH)
The sustainability of residential development is measured by the CfSH. This covers nine criteria, including CO 2 reduction, water use, ecology and waste and includes a number of mandatory elements (for energy and water) which can be combined with a range of voluntary credits to achieve a rating level.
Sources of Water and Waste Water Funding/ Water and sewerage companies are funded in 5 year planning periods known as Asset Management Plans (AMP). The money available to spend on Water Services Infrastructure during an AMP period is determined by
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Ofwat in consultation with the Government, the Environment Agency and consumer organisations amongst others. Ofwat published final determinations of how much money the companies have to spend between 2010 and 2015 in 2009.
The cost of modifying the existing network is through agreement between the developer and the utility company, and therefore cannot be estimated. All maintenance, repairs and upgrades will be funded by the particular utility company.
Thames Water From 2010 to 2015, Thames Water will invest almost £5bn, plus annual operating costs of about £600m.
Key issues & Water Supply Rationale New development areas will be likely to require new or upgraded distribution mains and potentially also enhanced pumping capacity. Precise requirements would be identified through further investigations alongside site masterplanning work. These measures are not to increase water resource availability, but to ensure that the physical pipe network is able to cope with the extra demand created by the new dwellings, without a deterioration in service to existing customers, e.g. such as unacceptably low water pressure. Developers will be expected to work closely with the relevant water company, paying any relevant contribution for necessary improvements to the water company.
Thames Water’s demand forecast assumes a reduction in household usage from 157 l/h/d (2007/08) to 135 l/h/d (2034/35).
Although the Kennet Valley and Henley Water Resource Zones (WRZs) are in surplus, Thames Water has extended the metering and water efficiency programmes to include these zones. This will align Thames Water’s strategic vision and the Government’s water strategy to increase meter penetration and water efficiency awareness across the whole supply area. Increasing metering will also allow customers to pay for the water they use.
Water Efficiency In accordance with Environment Agency (EA) guidance, developers will be expected to set a water efficiency standard for new homes of 105 litres/head/day (l/h/d), equivalent to levels 3/4 for water within the Code for Sustainable Homes, because there are limited water
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resources in the local area and high and growing demand for water. This standard can be achieved easily with existing technology and at very little extra cost.
With the limited water resources in the local area and a high and growing demand for water combined with the amount of development proposed in the borough, the EA believe it is vital for water efficiency standards in new homes to be higher than building regulation standards. Climate change will also increase the risk of reduced water availability.
Wastewater and Sewerage Sewage Treatment Works (STWs)
These STWs will require upgrades in the future but provided there is enough time, funding and suitable phasing, upgrades should not prove problematic (3 - 5 years for STW upgrades). Thames Water would therefore prefer development to take place within areas that drain to these STWs.
It is important to also consider the sewerage network demands for developments and this would need to be determined on a site by site basis using detailed modelling possibly funded by developers. It is generally easier to provide upgrades for a smaller number of larger clearly defined sites than a larger number of smaller less well identified sites. [location of STW]
Developers will be required to demonstrate that there is adequate waste water capacity both on and off site to serve the development and that it would not lead to problems for existing or new users. In some circumstances it may be necessary for developers to fund studies to ascertain whether the proposed development will lead to overloading of existing waste water infrastructure.
If development requires waste water upgrades but are not planned for at the planning application stage, Thames Water would recommend a Grampian condition stating: no occupation until drainage provision in place. The developer would be required to assess capacity, draw up a drainage strategy and act on recommendations.
If developments require upgrades that do not feature in TW’s 5 year AMP planning period, TW can design, build, then charge developers - but this can be at considerable cost.
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It is in the interests of developers to work closely with TW and give them good lead-in.
Conclusion It is considered that the sites proposed for allocation in the and Action MDD DPD will not either collectively or individually require additional strategic water infrastructure. Connections and local infrastructure improvements to support individual developments will be provided / funded by / in connection with the developer and the relevant water company. Developers will be required to work in partnership with utility providers in this regard.
Flood Risk (fluvial)
Lead Wokingham Borough Council (Lead Local Flood Authority) Organisation(s ) The Environment Agency (National Flood Authority)
Thames Water
South East Water
Main Sources Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA), 2012 of Information The Flood & Water Management Act 2010
Thames Catchment Flood Management Plan 2009
Thames River Basin Management Plan (TRUMP) 2009
The Pitt Review, Learning lessons from the 2007 floods, 2009
Water Framework Directive 2000
Future Wokingham Surface Water Management Strategy / Plan
Wokingham Borough Council Sustainable Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), 2010 and emerging Borough Design Guide SPD, 2012
Blackwater Valley Water Cycle Scoping Study 2011
Existing Flood defence infrastructure Provision Flood defences are structures which affect flow in times of flooding. They generally fall into one of two categories;
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‘formal’ or ‘defacto’/’informal’. A ‘formal’ defence is a structure which has been specifically built to control floodwater. It is maintained by its owner so that it remains in the necessary condition to function. ‘Defacto / informal’ defences include road and rail embankments and other infrastructure (buildings and boundary walls) which may act as water retaining structures or create enclosures to form flood storage areas in addition to their primary function. The Environment Agency currently maintains a register of structures and features with a flood defence role. The 2012 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) and data from the Environment Agency highlighted three flood defences protecting the Borough:
Table 1: Flood defences Type Description Location raised Flood bund. 0.5- Near Thames Water defence 1.3m high flood Sewage works, north (man-made) bund with of Henley-on- vegetation Thames, South growing on it. Oxfordshire District Council (outside of Borough but only just upstream). culverted Culvert under Grounds of Fawley channel road CU. 750mm Court, north of diameter culvert Henley-on-Thames, runs under South Oxfordshire college access District Council road and A4155. (outside of Borough but only just upstream). Note that D1 and D2 are in the same location. flood defence Access road Hambleden lock. structure embankment - Access road Road built on a raised earth embankment. Only access to lock/weir complex during a flood event.
Two of the defences are a small distance outside the Borough. In addition, due to the limited flood defence capabilities of these structures, effectively none of the Borough is reliant on formal flood defence structures.
Other structures which have an effect on flood risk:
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Flood Storage A flood storage area lies along the Foudry Brook immediately downstream of the Borough. There are also 17 small flood storage areas/balancing ponds which deal with local runoff water:
Table 2 SFRA ref Location Parish BP1 Easthampstead Road Wokingham Without BP2 Foxborough Swallowfield BP3 Curlys Way Swallowfield BP4 Skylark Way Shinfield BP5 The Brackens Wokingham Without BP6 The Naylors Swallowfield BP7 Foxborough Swallowfield BP8 Twycross Road Wokingham BP9 Woosehill Wokingham BP10 Woosehill Lane Wokingham BP12 Wildcroft Drive Wokingham BP13 Deacon Close Wokingham BP14 Gazelle Close Winnersh BP15 Wimbushes Finchampstead BP16 Plough Lane Wokingham BP17 Mereoak Lane Shinfield
Other Structures The Environment Agency records include structures along the river which in some cases have some effect on flood risk. There are 29 such structures and are predominantly weirs, culverts and bridges. These are:
Table 3 SFRA Asset Type & Asset comments Ref Location S1 Thames Weirs - 3x 1.8m wide x1m high radial Shiplake Weir A gates 6x 3m wide x 2.3m high radial gates 1x 1.2m wide x1m high gated fish pass further 2 radial gates 1.8m wide x 1m high Overall weir width 36m. Concrete walkway & concrete channel sides. Weir is manually operated. S2 Thames Weirs - 3 step concrete fcw concrete & Shiplake Weir B steel walkway steel handrails concrete channel sides overall width 25m S3 Flood Culvert - Mill brick arch culvert under road
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Lane, Shiplake S4 Flood Culvert - Mill brick arch culvert under Lane, Shiplake roadway S5 Thames Weirs - 8X4m wide electrically operated Marsh Weir A Buck Weir and Fish Pass. S6 Thames Weirs - Adjustable weir left bank, with Marsh Weir Gauge Weir to right bank. B....Between Island & L/B S7 Weirs - - Marsh Mill Sluice under flats upstream Weir (Mill Sluice 1) of culvert is a weir with 1.3m drop S8 Thames Weirs - Mill Sluice. Masonry Culvert Marsh Weir (Mill with u/s weir having a drop of Sluice 2) Marsh 1.3m Culvert runs under a Mill Flats building/flats S9 Bridges - Wooden Footbridge with 2 Footbridge North central supports in Channel Of Mill Pool bed. Handrails u/s and d/s sides Cottage S10 Thames Towpath Bridges - Bridge 102 At Shiplake Hole S11 Flood Culvert - Mill Twin Brick arch culvert under Lane Shiplake road to allow flow of flood waters S12 Flood Culvert - Mill Brick arch culvert under road-to Lane, Shiplake allow flood flows S13 Bridges - East Of Access bridge with masonry Brookend parapets S14 Thames Weirs Weir with 2x 2m wide steel Weir C - lifting radial gates Hambleden Weir C.Lr2. S15 Thames Weirs 2 stage fixed crest weir with Weir B. - steel and concrete walkway Hambleden Weir B over, supported by 20 sets of steel supports. S16 Thames Weirs Weir with 4x steel tipgates and Weir A - steel walkway over. plus 1x fish Hambleden Weir A pass S17 Thames Weirs 4 stage fixed crest weir with Weir D - steel walkway. Hambleden Weir D S18 Thames Weirs 2x 3m wide lifting steel radial Weir E - gates. Hambleden Weir E S19 Thames Weirs Weir with concrete sill and
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Weir F - spillway. Footway over, Hambleden Weir F supported by steel A frames. S20 Thames Weirs 3x 2m wide steel radial gates, Weir G - Electric Hambleden Weir G S21 Thames Weirs - Mill Sluice - manually operated Hambleden Weir steel/wooden sluice gate, with (Mill Stream) operation walkway over, upstream end of culverted channel. S22 Bridges - Brick Bridge with angled side Footbridge South abutment piers upstream and Of Lake Cottage downstream both banks Willow Lane S23 Thames Weirs - Mill Sluice/ culvert, sythonic The Mill Theatre, weir, electric turbine in pipe. Sonning Weir (Mill Trash screen upstream. Stream) S24 Thames Weirs - 2x 2.5m wide radial lifting gates Sonning Weir C manually operated operating gantry upstream over weir S25 Thames Weirs - 4x 3m wide radial gates Sonning Weir A remotely operated S26 Thames Weirs - 65m long fixed crest weir Sonning Weir D includes 1m wide fish pass with walkway over entire length S27 Thames Weirs - 2x manually operated 3.2m Sonning Weir B wide lifting gates S28 Thames Locks - Concrete pound lock with Sonning Lock hydraulically operated steel gates upstream & downstream S29 Thames Towpath Timber footbridge Bridges - Bridge 100B Sonning Hill
The main consideration for development in regard to the structures identified in Table 3 is that if a structure is accessed via a proposed site, the access will need to be maintained. In many cases access is required for non-flood risk purposes, but in some cases access is required to carry out maintenance such as dredging channels where silt has built up behind weirs.
There are a number of other features which influence flood risk including maintained channels & reservoirs and informal lakes & meadows which are not considered as flood defence infrastructure for the purposes of the IDP.
Planned The Flood and Water Management Act received Royal
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Provision Assent on 8th April 2010. The Act introduces amended and additional responsibilities for flood risk affecting the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities, developers and landowners. The EA will take a strategic overview role and produce a National Strategy for Flood Risk Management. It gives the lead to local authorities in managing the risk of all local causes of flooding. Local Authorities must produce a Local Strategy for Flood Risk Management. Part of this role involves prioritising investment in local flood management. Landowners and developers also have responsibilities to implement national and local policy and to manage the impact of their landholding / development on flood risk.
The EA have significant new flood defence infrastructure planned. The EA is of the opinion that large scale flood defences cannot be provided for most communities. The approach to flood risk instead focuses on minimising risk through the management of water bodies and the avoidance of developing areas prone to flooding. This is to be achieved largely through the planning process by the application of the sequential test and other measures including the maintenance of existing watercourses and defences, the application of Water Management Strategies and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS).
Developers
Individual development proposals will be expected to support flood risk mitigation by respecting relevant flood zones and potentially by providing a range of other measures, such as localised flood mitigation / infrastructure.
Water Treatment and Flooding
Thames Water plans to provide better flood protection and make other improvements to water treatment works and pumping stations in Berkshire. This will ensure the protection of the quality of drinking water for more than 200,000 customers in Berkshire in the event of a flood.
Swallowfield Parish Flood Defence Project
In 2010, the Swallowfield Flood Resilience Group produced the Swallowfield Parish Flood Defence Project. The objective of this project is to mitigate the potential damage that might be caused by future flooding events. Its inclusion in the IDP does not mean it is endorsed by Wokingham Borough Council.
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Strategic Development Location (SDL) Planned provision.
Policies CP18-21 and Appendix 7 of the Core Strategy and the Supplementary Planning Documents for the SDLs set out requirements for mitigating impact of flood risk
SDL & Non-SDL
Measures to maintain the operation of the Strategic Transport Network (STN) in times of flooding (Core Strategy CP10).
Sources of Environment Agency Funding/ In the 2010 Act, the Agency is specified as the lead funding body for flood risk management and to make grants in respect of expenditure incurred or expected to be incurred with flood and coastal erosion risk management in England.
Wokingham Borough Council
WBC direct provision. Since 2007 the Council has also received £310,000 in central government grants. In addition, Wokingham Borough Council and the Highways Agency will invest in the Strategic Transport Network to maintain the operation of the network during times of flooding. National / regional funding should also be available for this work.
Developers & Landowners
Direct provision and through contributions
Key issues & A number of measures have been identified to be delivered Rationale as part of the development of the SDLs
Measures relating to the need to maintain the operation of the Strategic Transport Network during times of flooding have been identified (Core Strategy policy CP10 – Improvements to the Strategic Transport Network)
Other measures / infrastructure may be identified in any Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for the Borough.
Conclusion Clarification required for the measures and costs to and Action maintain the operation of the STN during times of flooding.
Applications for development will need to have regarded to
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the NPPF and to policies in the Core Strategy (Policies CP1 Sustainable Development and CP3 General Principles of Development) and Policies in the MDD DPD on flood risk and SuDs. Bespoke SuDS measures will be expected from individual developments. Costs will be on a site by site basis.
Energy – Electricity & Gas
Lead Electricity Organisation(s) National Grid (System Operator and Transmission Owner) Scottish & Southern Energy (Distribution Network Operator) (SEE includes Scotia Gas Network and Southern Gas Network)
Gas
National Grid (System Operator & Transmission Owner) Scottish & Southern Energy (Distribution Network Operator) (SEE includes Scotia Gas Network and Southern Gas Network) British Gas (System Operator & Distribution Network Operator)
Main Sources Seven year Statement 2009, National Grid of Information Gas Transportation Ten Year Statement, 2008, National Grid
New Thames Valley Vision - Scottish and Southern Energy, 2011
National Grid, Scottish & Southern Energy and Southern Gas Networks provide services to other parts of the UK. Details of their corporate strategy and priorities for their particular service plan areas are only available as a whole and not for individual Boroughs.
SEE-STATS, South East Renewable Energy Statistics
Delivering the South East Plan, a revised South East Implementation Plan, October 2006, SEERA
National Grid & David Lock Associates, A Sense of Place guidelines
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The Statement of Use of System Charges, National Grid, 2011
Existing Electricity Provision Electricity Transmission
National Grid owns, operates and maintains the electricity generation and transmission network (above 132,000 volts) in the Borough. National Grid’s high voltage electricity system operates at 400,000 and 275,000 volts. National Grid do not distribute electricity to individual premises, but instead their main role is to ensure supply to the UK market from generating stations to local distribution companies.
The National Grid infrastructure network in the Borough includes high-voltage cable running from: • Crowthorne, to the west, south of Finchamsptead.
National Grid has no high voltage underground cables in the Borough.
Electricity National Control Centre
The National Grid is controlled from the National Grid Control Centre which is located in St Catherine's Lodge, Sindlesham.
Electricity Distribution
Nationally, different regional companies own and operate the electricity distribution network that comprises overhead lines and cables at 132,000 volts and below. It is the role of these local distribution companies to distribute electricity to homes and businesses.
Scottish & Southern Energy owns and operates the local electricity distribution network serving the Borough, including overhead and underground electricity lines, substations and other associated infrastructure.
The includes overhead cable and pylons running from: • Bracknell, south of Wokingham, to Barkham • Barkham, southward, to Eversley • Barkham, northward, to Winnersh • Winnersh, north-eastward toward Maidenhead • Farley Hill, north, by Arborfield, Earley and Woodley • Lower Earley, south by Shinfield, Spencers Wood and Swallowfield, with a second branch toward Farley Hill.
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Gas Gas Transmission National Grid owns and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in England, Scotland and Wales. It responds to requests for new gas supplies in certain circumstances. National Grid gas transmission infrastructure in the Borough includes a high pressure gas pipe location running from: • Knowl Hill to Remenham.
Gas Distribution
Scotia Gas Networks (SSE) owns and operates the local gas distribution network and has significant medium pressure and intermediate pressure pipelines that feed the low pressure systems for all major towns and rural areas in the Borough. This includes lines running from: • Hampshire, east of Farley Hill, by Earley to South Oxfordshire. • West Berkshire, north of Shinfield to Earley. • Reading, north of Winnersh to Hurst.
Oil
There is also an oil pipeline which runs from: • Bracknell Forest Borough, north of Finchampstead, Farley Hill then south of Spencers Wood to West Berkshire.
Planned Electricity Transmission Provision National Grid has no major electricity transmission infrastructure projects planned for the Borough.
Electricity Distribution
Scottish & Southern Energy has no major electricity distribution infrastructure projects planned for the Borough.
Gas Transmission
National Grid has no major gas transmission infrastructure projects planned for the Borough.
Gas Distribution
Southern Gas Network has no major gas distribution infrastructure projects planned for the Borough.
Sources of Electricity & Gas
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Funding/ National Grid Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) Developer contributions / direct provision Development purchaser re connections.
The cost of modifying the existing network is through agreement between the developer and the utility company, and therefore cannot be estimated. All maintenance, repairs and upgrades would be funded by the particular utility company.
The cost of any relocation of existing overhead lines is met in full by the developer.
Where the existing infrastructure is inadequate to support the increased demands for the new development, the costs of any necessary upstream reinforcement required would normally be apportioned between developer and Distribution Network Operator, in accordance with the current Statement of Charging Methodology agreed with OFGEM. Maximum timescales in these instances would not normally exceed 2 years therefore should not impede development.
Key issues & Electricity and gas transmission networks Rationale It is unlikely that the scale or distribution of new development in the Borough will have a significant effect upon National Grid’s gas and electricity generation/supply capacity or transmission infrastructure .
Electricity and gas distribution networks
The electricity and gas distribution networks are the responsibility of SSE. Based on experience from elsewhere it is considered that localised distribution system improvements and enhancements would be likely to be required in association with the development of particular sites. Detailed procedures are in place for such improvements to be investigated, planned and delivered at site development brief and planning application stage in close liaison with the relevant company.
Electricity and gas connections
Electricity and gas connections and minor extensions to the distribution network can normally be provided for through the development management stage in consultation with the developer.
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Conclusion Electricity and gas transmission networks and Action It is unlikely that the scale or distribution of new development in the Borough will have a significant effect upon National Grid’s gas and electricity generation/supply capacity or transmission infrastructure
Developer to liaise with grid operator and energy supplier at development management phase of development.
Developers will be required to work in partnership with utility providers to provide appropriate infrastructure throughout the development. Potential electricity and gas network capacity issues have been identified.
Telecommunications
Lead British Telecommunications PLC (BT) / BT Open Reach Organisation(s) Mobile Operators Association
Main Sources Digital Britain Final Report, June 2009 (and associated of Information Digital Britain Bill)
Government Departments for Culture, Media and Sport and Business, Innovation and Skills
MOA (Mobile Operators Association) Operators Annual Roll-out Plans, 2011-2012
Ofcom Mobile Phone Base Station Database (‘Site Finder’)
Existing National fixed line and mobile telecommunications Provision infrastructure BT Openreach is a subsidiary of BT. It provides and manages the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure. It also provides operators with access to the network.
BT Openreach’s Copper Access Infrastructure (the copper line network) is the only telecommunications network that reaches 100% of the UK population. It provides telephone and broadband access for the majority of residents and businesses in the Borough.
Parts of the Borough have significant broadband access issues and/or only receive slow broadband services. BT
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Openreach is currently undertaking an extensive programme to roll out the fibre optic broadband network across the UK. This service operates on a demand basis, where individual customers pay to receive access to a more speedy broadband service. Once instructed, Openreach pick up the fibre optic cabling from a node and extend the cabling to individual houses.
Commercial mobile telecommunications There are more than 81 million mobile connections and 52,500 mobile phone base stations in the UK. Base stations support the mobile telecommunications network and facilitate increases in coverage and capacity.
Annually the Mobile Operators Association (MOA) issues infrastructure rollout plans on behalf of the mobile telecommunication network operators. The rollout plans provide details of each operator’s existing, extant and proposed sites in the Borough. In November 2009 there were 213 existing, 56 approved but not built and 68 proposed mobile telecommunications masts on the Wokingham Mobile Phone Mast Register.
Planned Wokingham Borough Council is part of a Growing Places Provision bid which provides match funding to suppliers to carry out extension work in more inaccessible areas.
National fixed line and mobile telecommunications infrastructure BT Openreach has a legal obligation to provide a telephone service and telephone line to all new development. This is provided via the Copper Access Infrastructure and carries telephone and internet services. It is the most mature telecommunications network in the UK and is widely deployed. As such, large scale infrastructure improvements are rarely required as in most places it can meet customers' needs with only minor rearrangement or deployment of plant. BT Openreach delivers telecommunication infrastructure alongside the construction of new development following consultation with developers.
Broadband
The Government’s Digital Britain Final Report 2009 (Implemented via the Digital Economy Act 2010) sought to strengthen and modernise the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure and deliver the Universal Service Broadband Commitment by 2012 (to provide access to broadband technology nationwide). The report identified that this could
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be delivered through upgrades to the existing copper network.
BT Openreach will provide the necessary primary infrastructure (through installing a duct network and laying copper wiring) for broadband access for new development. The duct network provides the permanent infrastructure to enable a network of cables to be installed. While new technologies are available such as fibre optic cabling, which provides higher speed network access Openreach is currently only required to run a copper wire through this duct network to provide a network of standard broadband access for customers. As Government guidance progresses, there may be requirements for more advanced technologies to be installed as a standard procedure. This can be achieved by laying cabling and other emerging technologies to run alongside the existing copper wiring within the existing duct network. There is currently no legal obligation on BT Openreach to provide fibre-optic cabling to new development. Where such requests are made, the cost of providing the fibre-optic networks will be passed on to the developer.
Commercial mobile telecommunications The MOA only releases rollout plans for the coming year. The MOA have stated that it is not possible for the MOA operators to give a clear indication of what their infrastructure requirements are over a longer timeframe.
The need for additional coverage tends to be customer driven and reactive to demand rather than proactive. The technology is continually evolving and ways of improving quality of coverage and/or network capacity may change in the future. Due to the rapid pace of technological advances it is also difficult to predict what the future operational requirements would be. For example the 2G network was predicated on large high sites which would cover approx 20km radius, whilst the 3G network requires lower base stations approx 15m high which only provide coverage for between 500m-1000m radius in built up areas, and much less in dense urban areas such as city centres. The MOA have no intelligence at this point in time what the operational requirements of a 4G network will be.
Sources of National fixed line and mobile telecommunications Funding/ infrastructure
The cost of modifying the existing network is through agreement between the developer and the utility company and therefore cannot be estimated. All maintenance,
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repairs and upgrades will be funded by BT Openreach.
Commercial mobile telecommunications
MOA operator’s infrastructure is privately funded.
Key issues & National fixed line and mobile telecommunications Rationale infrastructure
There are no specific telecommunication infrastructure requirements necessary to support the delivery of the MDD DPD.
Localised enhancements and improvements will be required to be completed alongside planned new developments and there are well developed systems in place for developers to liaise with the system providers at site development brief and planning application stages to ensure the timely provision of this infrastructure. Telecommunication companies are usually able to provide the infrastructure necessary to support individual developments by utilising their statutory powers.
Telecommunications infrastructure changes as technology changes. As such, the ability to accurately determine what infrastructure will be required to the end of the LDF period is not possible.
Wokingham Borough Council is part of a Growing Places bid which provides match funding to suppliers to carry out extension work in more inaccessible areas.
Conclusion No site specific infrastructure requirements have been and Action identified.
Road Network – Strategic Highways
Lead Department for Transport (DfT) Organisation(s) The Highways Agency (HA)
Wokingham Borough Council as local Transport Authority.
Main Sources Delivering a Sustainable Transport System, 2008, DfT of Information The Future of Transport, a network for 2030, July 2004
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Britain’s Transport Infrastructure, Motorways and Major Trunk Roads, January 2009, DfT
Regional Network Report for South East, 2008
Roads – Delivering Choice and Reliability, July 2008, DfT
RSS: The South East Plan, May 2009, SEERA
Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3) (2011-2026) (April 2011)
Existing Motorway Infrastructure Provision The Highways Agency (HA), on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport is responsible for managing the safe and efficient operation of the motorway and all purpose trunk road network, collectively known as the Strategic Road Network (SRN).
M4 Motorway
The M4 (and A329 (M)) Motorway runs across Wokingham Borough serving Reading and London. Junctions 10 and 11 are the M4 junctions in the Borough. The HA has stated that the M4 between Junctions 10 & 11 is congested at peak hours and other times and that by 2016 & 2026 the M4 will be unable to cope with demand.
M3 Motorway
The M3 Motorway runs south of the Borough.
Recent Improvements
M4 Motorway Junction 10
Works to strengthen the bridge supports at A329 (M) Winnersh Interchange Bridge, which crosses the M4 motorway at Junction 10. This scheme ensured the ongoing safety of the Winnersh Interchange bridge and was completed in December 2011.
M4 Motorway Junction 11
Wokingham Borough Council worked in partnership with Reading Borough Council and the Highways Agency to implement this £65 million improvement scheme. It included two new road bridges over the M4, public transport priority through the junction to serve a Park & Ride and two new junctions with signals south of the M4 on
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the A33 Swallowfield by-pass in Shinfield. It sought to address the severe congestion at peak times, a poor safety record and major accessibility problems for pedestrians and cyclists. The work was completed in December 2011.
M4 Bus Lane
Work to remove the M4 Bus Lane was completed in December 2010.
Planned DfT/Highways Agency Provision In 2008 the DfT set out how the functioning of the SRN will be sustained in the face of current congestion at peak times and traffic growth. Up to £6 billion has been made available to fund improvements to the SRN in England.
The Highway Agency’s programme of capacity enhancements includes a proposal for the introduction of Hard Shoulder Running (HSR) on the M4 Junctions 3-12. Following the Comprehensive Spending Review in autumn 2010, the DfT announced plans to develop this scheme, however given current assumptions; it will not be possible to enter construction until at least 2015. In the meantime, the scheme will be reviewed, to ensure the design is the best possible, and to see if there are better ways to sequence the work.
New junction layouts for roundabouts at M4 J11 & A33 Mereoak this is now complete.
The HA has also identified a number of Major Scheme Proposals / TIF Bids / Charging proposals which are relevant to the Borough:
Proposals in Reading: • Reading Station upgrade. This is under construction.
• Green Park Station & Multi Modal Interchange (See Appendix A SEP)
• Third Thames Crossing
• TIF funding (£680 000) to evaluate Road User Charging. Studies will be carried out on the Southern Corridor (A33 & A327) to gauge effects of various possible measures including Road User Charging, fare reductions, changes to existing road system and introduction of a Mass Rapid Transit. This proposal may Influence the Regional Network.
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Proposals in Wokingham: The HA has stated that improvements to Junction 10 will be required at some point to support the long term developments highlighted in the Core Strategy & MDD. The HA has prepared a preliminarily scheme design however, it has no approved plans to improve M4 junction 10 in its current forward work programme. The HA has stated it will work with Wokingham and other relevant local authorities to develop an appropriate scheme.
Wokingham Borough Core Strategy Planned Provision Core Strategy Policy CP10 Improvements to the Strategic Transport Network lists the following road schemes and initiatives are proposed for the Borough. This list includes proposals related to the Strategic Development Location set out in Policies CP18-21 of the Core Strategy.:
• Measures to improve cross Thames travel which may include a bridge (CP10 (1))
• Reading Road to Wellington road link, Wokingham (CP10 (2)). A planning application to progress this proposal is due to be lodged in the summer of 2012.
• Improvements to the railway bridges on the A321 Finchampstead Road, Wokingham (CP10(3))
• Re-building Wokingham station as a public transport interchange, including provision of access by foot, cycle and public transport (CP10(4))
• Provide a Park & Ride near the Coppid Beech roundabout on the A329 in Wokingham (CP10(5))
• Provide a Park & Ride in the vicinity of M4, Junction 11 (CP10(7))
• Winnersh relief road (CP10(8))
• Twyford Eastern relief road (CP10(9))
• High quality express bus services or mass rapid transit along the A4 and A329 corridors (CP10 (10) (this is dependent on Reading Borough Council’s Cross Town Link road proposal).
• High quality express bus services or mass rapid transit between Reading and Woodley town centres (CP10(11))
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• High quality express bus services between Green Park and Twyford stations via the Park & Rides in the vicinity of M4, J11 and Loddon Bridge and Winnersh Triangle railway station (CP10(12))
• Improvements listed in policies CP18 – 21
• Measures to maintain the operation of the network during times of flooding (CP10(18))
• Improvements to the quality and frequency of public transport services along any part of the network (CP10(19))
• Improvements to increase the use of bicycles, including cycle paths (CP10(20))
• Enhancements to footpath and cycle networks to improve access to services and facilities (CP10(21))
• Improvements to M4 Junction 10 (CP10(22))
Sources of Department for Transport/HA Funding/ M4 Junction 10 The HA has produced indicative figures which apportions the cost of the scheme between the relevant local authorities. This has not been agreed by all authorities. A significant issue is M3 to M4 though-traffic and vice-versa. A detailed scheme however is not fully developed, costed or apportioned. The mechanism for improvements is a key consideration, i.e. how much (if any) should fall on development and how much should be procured from other sources.
Wokingham Borough Core Strategy schemes Policies CP10 Provision by developers and through contributions.
Key issues & The HA considers the committed & proposed development Rationale in the Borough could affect the safe and efficient operation of the SRN, specifically M4 Junction 10. Modelling of proposed Strategic Development Locations set out in Core Strategy Policies CP18-21 is currently being undertaken. Any development coming forward should consider the effects of proposals on the SRN, particularly M4 J10, and any necessary infrastructure improvements should be discussed with the HA. HA has stated that it will continue to work with the Borough Council to agree an appropriate
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evidence base.
Conclusion The sources and apportionment of funding for any relevant and Action improvements to Junction 10 of the M4 to be confirmed.
Schemes set out in Core Strategy Policy CP10 either by direct provision by developers and through contributions.
Road Network – Local
Lead Wokingham Borough Council as local Transport Authority. Organisation(s) Main Sources Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3) (2011-2026) (April 2011) of Information Wokingham Borough Core Strategy. Managing Development Delivery DPD Existing The Motorway, A and B Class roads in the Borough form Provision part of the Strategic Transport Network in the Borough (4.56 Core Strategy). The M4 Motorway bisects the Borough, running from Maidenhead to Reading. The M3 Motorway runs to the south of the Borough. The A329 (M) crosses the M4 Motorway and runs between Reading and Bracknell. The A3290 runs from Winnersh to Reading. The A33 runs from South Reading, serving Three Mile Cross and Spencers Wood, to Hampshire.
Planned A section of the Winnersh Relief Road from Lower Earley Provision Way to King Street Lane will be completed as part of the legal agreement related to the planning permission recently granted on Hatch Farm Dairies Winnersh. This site is an allocated site in the MDD DPD
Improvements to the road network necessary as part of the provision of other sites allocated in the MDD DPD will be informed by the outcome of the traffic modelling on the sites Sources of Direction provision by developers and through Funding/ contributions Key issues & Improvements to the highway network are essential to Rationale mitigate the planned development. As part of this process the sites proposed through the MDD DPD are being tested on the Wokingham Strategic Transport Model (WSTM). However, these improvements should take place alongside the promotion of a range of travel modes, particularly sustainable means of travel, traffic management and minimising congestion and emissions. Land use planning and management is a key consideration in assessing future
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road infrastructure requirements.
Conclusion Infrastructure requirements will be identified following traffic and Action modelling on the sites allocated in the MDD DPD, including cumulative impact. Provision will be either by developer or through contribution.
Public Transport – Rail & Bus
Lead Transport Authority: Organisation(s) Wokingham Borough Council as Transport Authority for the Borough
Rail Rail Infrastructure Providers: Network Rail Rail operators (may provide some assets)
Rail Operators: First Great Western South West Trains
Bus Bus Infrastructure Providers Wokingham Borough Council Bus Operators. (Bus Operators may provide some infrastructure such as bus-stops in certain circumstances.)
Bus Service Providers Bus Operators as registered with the Transport Commissioner for Wokingham Borough.
Main Sources London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy (July of Information 2011)
Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy (March 2010)
Delivering a Sustainable Transport System, 2008, DfT
Delivering a Sustainable Railway, White Paper, 2007, DfT (covering April 2009 to 31 March 2014)
Stations Improvement Programme, Network Rail
Network Rail Discretionary Fund, Network Rail
Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3) (2011-2026) (April 2011)
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Draft Sustainable Travel to School Strategy July 2009
Wokingham Borough Council Bus Stop Policy, 2010 (Review Date)
Wokingham Borough Council Draft Sustainable Travel to School Strategy, 2009
The Future of Transport: A Network for 2030, 2004
Existing Rail Provision Rail stops: Rail services in Wokingham Borough are accessed from six stations • Reading – Waterloo line: Earley, Winnersh Triangle, Winnersh and Wokingham.
• Reading - Paddington line: Twyford.
• Twyford – Henley line: Wargrave.
Crowthorne station is located c.50m from the Borough boundary, within the administrative area of Bracknell Forest .
Rail Services There are four rail routes within the Borough:
• The Reading, London Waterloo & Gatwick Airport line - this line connects the stations of Earley, Winnersh Triangle, Winnersh and Wokingham to Reading, London Waterloo and stations onto Redhill and Gatwick. South West trains (Stagecoach South Western Trains) operates these services.
• The Great Western Main Line - this is the main line between Reading in the west and London Paddington in the East. Wokingham has one station on the Great Western mainline, Twyford. First Great Western operates these services.
• The Henley Branch - this route connects Twyford to Henley-on-Thames. On this branch only Wargrave station is within Wokingham Borough. First Great Western operates these services.
• Reading – Basingstoke Line (The Berkshire & Hampshire) -this runs through the Borough for some 1000m but has no stations within the Borough.
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Recently completed improvements:
• Twyford: New footbridge, lifts and tactile paving
Great Western Main Line
Average load factor into Reading from Wokingham and Paddington corridors at three hour morning peak is less that 80% capacity.
Average load factor into Reading from Paddington Corridor at morning high peak hour is less than 80% and is 80 – 99% on the Wokingham into Reading corridor.
By 2019, the average load factor into Reading from Wokingham and Paddington corridors at three hour morning peak will remain less that 80% capacity.
By 2019, the average load factor into Reading from Paddington Corridor at morning high peak hour will remain less than 80% but will rise to 100 - 130% on the Wokingham into Reading corridor.
National Rail states that this capacity gap is resolvable.
Bus Commercial services
The 1985 Local Transport Act gave bus operators the power to operate bus services on public highways as long as the traffic commissioner is informed of the service’s characteristics before they are implemented. On this basis bus services are largely market driven. Operators have control over the routing and frequency of buses and the type of vehicles used on commercially operated services.
• Arriva covers: Reading, Sonning, Twyford, Wargrave, Henley, Marlow, High Wycombe (Route 850)
• Countywide Travel covers: Riseley, Swallowfield, Spencers Wood, Reading
• Courtney Coaches covers: Wokingham, Winnersh, Earley, Reading (Route 239)
• Fargo Coaches
• Fasttrack covers: Park and Ride Winnersh Triangle -
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Showcase Cinema - to Reading
• Fleet Buzz covers: Reading, Spencers Wood, Swallowfield, Riseley, Fleet, Yateley and Farnborough (Routes 72, 82 and 145)
• First / Courtney Buses covers: Earley, Winnersh, Wokingham, and Pinewood (Routes 190 and 194)
• Horseman Coaches covers: Upper Wargrave, Reading Stratefield Saye (Routes 153 and 154)
• First covers: Fast Track Park & Ride Madejski Stadium and Reading.
• Reading Buses covers: Northumberland Avenue, Reading, Whitley Wood, Shinfield Park, Caversham, Woodley Airfield, Woodley, Lower Earley, Tilehurst, Riseley (Routes 5, 6, 9, 13, 14, 17, 19, 19A, 20, 20, A, 21, 82A and night services: 17, N5, N6, N9 and N21).
• Reading Transport
• Stagecoach Hants
• Thames Travel covers: Wokingham, Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Crowthorne, Finchampstead, Hurst, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Sonning, Twyford, Winnersh, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading Rail Station (Routes 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 144, 151 and 151A)
Subsidised routes
Where the Council has identified a need for a bus service where the service is not seen as commercially viable by private operators, the Council may subsidise a route. Routes which operate with part or full financial support from the Council and/or government include route 39, 202, 244 and 983. Including developer funding and Rural Bus Subsidy Grant.
Planned Rail Provision Paddington Line
Twyford platform extension
The extension of relief line services beyond Maidenhead to
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Reading was proposed to accommodate increased suburban frequencies from Crossrail and would include platform lengthening at Twyford station to accommodate the longer 10 & 12 car trains required. Under the 2011 operational plan, this scheme is no longer required as capacity has been met by rolling stock plans. It is therefore on hold pending confirmation and possible removal from National Rail’s programme. (A possible extension of Crossrail services to Reading is being considered but no date has been set. The Secretary of State for Transport (29 April 2009) safeguarded the route from Maidenhead to Reading so that an extension to Crossrail could occur.)
Waterloo Line
Rebuilding of Wokingham Rail Station
Wokingham Borough Council is working with Network Rail and South West Trains to rebuild and remodel Wokingham Station under National Rail’s Stations Improvement Programme. The station is to be redeveloped from Spring 2012 to Spring 2013. The initial plan involves a new station building and a link road between the station forecourt and the A329 Reading Road. The station link road is on public consultation from 1 st February to 6 th April 2012 with a view to lodging a planning application in June of 2012.
The Council proposes the following schemes during the plan period through Core Strategy CP10:
• Improvements to the railway bridges on the A321 Finchampstead Road, Wokingham (CP10 (3) the replacement of the Guildford Line bridge is required as part of the development of South Wokingham SDL (Policy CP20) and will be developer funded. The replacement of the Waterloo line bridge Finchampstead Road will be funded by developer contribution and Wokingham Borough Council.
• Re-building Wokingham station as a public transport interchange, including provision of access by foot, cycle and public transport (CP10 (4). The Strategic Development Locations at South Wokingham (CP20) and North Wokingham (CP21) will contribute to this scheme. Town centre sites allocated in the MDD DPD may also be required to contribute.
Reading to Virginia Water station lengthening
This proposal involves station lengthening and signal
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improvements to run 10-car trains between London Waterloo and Reading to increase capacity. It would require platform extension at Earley (platforms 1 & 2), Winnersh Triangle (platforms 1 & 2), Winnersh (platforms 1 & 2 and move one signal) and Wokingham station (platform 1). National Rail modelling suggests that this additional capacity would primarily alleviate existing suppressed demand, with the extra capacity likely to fill up quickly, so further interventions may also be justifiable in the future. The estimated cost is £9.8 – 10.4 Million.
Other improvements affecting Borough services
The majority of rail service improvements will be gained from lengthening trains (including from Reading to Gatwick Airport), increasing frequencies, train capacity and accelerating & breaking, improvements to safety, reliability, resignalling (incl. Thames Valley), performance and environmental improvements (incl. the electrification of Reading to Paddington route by 2016). Improvements will also be gained form the remodelling of stations outside of the Borough, (incl. Reading Station Area, Heathrow and Paddington and Maidenhead).
The Reading Station Area re-development will deliver major capacity, capability and performance enhancements. Improvements at Reading will improve services on the Paddington and Waterloo lines. Preliminary works commenced in 2009 with full implementation is programmed for 2016. The estimated cost is £600 Million.
Bus Services LTP3 aims to build on the trend of increasing patronage and continue to work with the bus operators to identify bus service improvements. Based on this, the Council proposes the following bus schemes and initiatives during the plan period through Core Strategy CP10:
• Re-building Wokingham station as a public transport interchange, including provision of access by foot, cycle and public transport (CP10(4))
• Provide a Park & Ride near the Coppid Beech roundabout on the A329 in Wokingham (CP10(5))
• Provide a Park & Ride in the vicinity of M4, Junction 11 (CP10(7))
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• High quality express bus services or mass rapid transit along the A4 and A329 corridors 1 (CP10 (10)) (this is dependent on Reading Borough Council’s Cross Town Link road proposal).
• High quality express bus services or mass rapid transit between Reading and Woodley town centres (CP10(11))
• High quality express bus services between Green Park and Twyford stations via the Park & Rides in the vicinity of M4, J11 and Loddon Bridge and Winnersh Triangle railway station (CP10(12))
• Improvements to the quality and frequency of public transport services along any part of the network (CP10(19)
Sources of Rail Funding/ Department for Transport
National Rail
Developer Contributions. In the case of the Guildford Line Replacement Bridge this will be through funding from developers of the South Wokingham SDL
Bus Wokingham Borough Council (bus infrastructure)
Service providers (operational costs and minor bus infrastructure
Key issues & Rail Services Rationale It is considered unlikely that there will be any requirement for enhanced services in relation to the development proposed through the MDD DPD.
Bus Service It is considered unlikely that the site allocations in the MDD DPD either individually or collectively will require additional bus services or infrastructure enhancements to support their delivery.
Conclusion Rail
36 Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Proposed submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD) June 2012 and Action Infrastructure requirements have been identified which developers will be expected to contribute toward. These primarily relate to the Strategic Development Locations
The sites allocated in the MDD DPD either cumulatively or by themselves are unlikely to require rail infrastructure enhancements as part of their delivery.
Bus Infrastructure requirements have been identified which developers will be expected to contribute toward. These primarily relate to the Strategic Development Locations
The sites allocated in the MDD DPD either cumulatively or by themselves are unlikely to require bus infrastructure enhancements as part of their delivery.
Walking and Cycling Infrastructure
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Main Sources Active Travel of Information Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3) 2011
Wokingham Borough Council Draft Sustainable Travel to School Strategy 2009
Wokingham Borough Council Cycle Strategy, 2007
Wokingham Borough Council Walking Strategy, 2003
Existing Walking & Cycling Infrastructure Provision Wokingham Borough Council maintains c.1640km of footways and c.43km of cycleways. Footways and cycleways are managed in accordance with the Highway Maintenance Management Plan (HMMP) which is based on the code of practice, “Well Maintained Highways” (DfT, 2005). Approximately half of all primary and secondary footways are inspected annually with maintenance work undertaken as required. Primary walking routes are inspected monthly. Cycleways are surveyed in the same manner as footways. Where the cycleway is remote from the carriageway, it is inspected at least once every six months.
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Cycle Network
The existing cycle network in the Borough consists of ‘on’ and ‘off’ carriageway facilities. There arec.3km of on- carriageway and c.40km of off-carriageway cycleways. National Cycle Route 4 runs through the Borough connecting Reading to Maidenhead, following the A4 Bath Road. Continued investment in cycling has resulted in a positive overall trend in cycle growth since 2006.
Walking Infrastructure
Footpaths infrastructure is well developed in the urban areas. Footways are generally well surfaced, lit, and connected by a range of crossing points. This is reflected by the overall numbers of children that walk to school; the 2010 Wokingham schools census reported that 44% of pupils walked to school, compared with one third who travel by car. The 2010 school census indicated that 6% of pupils cycle to school; however this varies significantly depending on the school (e.g. 40% of pupils at Waingels College cycle to school).
Walking in more rural parts of the Borough can often be more problematic as there is limited footway provision or the travel distances required to access a school are not conducive to walking. The rural walking network is documented in the Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan (RoWIP).
Schools
To encourage more pupils to walk to school and college, the Council has invested in engineering measures at schools across the Borough as part of a ‘Safer Routes to School Initiative’. These measures have made a direct contribution to improving the safety, comfort and convenience of walking journeys to school. In addition, at least 50% of schoolchildren in the Borough now receive cycle training before starting secondary school.
Planned Non-SDL Provision The Council proposes the following schemes and initiatives during the plan period through Core Strategy CP10:
• Re-building Wokingham station as a public transport interchange, including provision of access by foot, cycle and public transport (CP10 (4)) The South Wokingham SDL and North Wokingham SDL will contribute to this.
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• Improvements to increase the use of bicycles, including cycle paths (CP10(20))
• Enhancements to footpath and cycle networks to improve access to services and facilities (CP10(21))
Other footpath and cycleway infrastructure will be required to be provided as part of proposals (or contributions in lieu) for developments, including the proposed site allocations.
Strategic Development Locations (SDLs) Cycle lanes and footpaths should be provided to create a network of pedestrian and cycle routes within, and linking beyond, the SDL. Changing facilities, lighting and secure cycle parking should be provided at places of employment. North and South Wokingham SDLs should, where possible, enhance the existing cycle network and connect to public rights of way to provide access beyond the SDL boundaries.
Sources of Wokingham Borough Council direct provision. Funding/ Developer direct provision and contributions
Key issues & Footpaths and cycleways are expected to be provided / Rationale contributed toward as part of proposals for development, including the sites proposed to be allocated.
Conclusion Walking and cycling infrastructure requirements have been and Action identified. Developers will be expected to provide and/or contribute towards this and additional infrastructure as may be required on a site-by-site basis.
Waste Management
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) re3 & Waste Recycling Group
Main Sources Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011 of Information (DEFRA)
Environment Agency England’s Waste Infrastructure (Report on facilities covered by environmental permitting) 2011
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Government National Waste Strategy Annual Progress Report 2008-2009 (DEFRA)
Berkshire Authorities Joint Minerals & Waste Local Development Scheme 2008
Waste Strategy for England 2007 (DEFRA)
Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (2007, Wokingham, Reading and Bracknell Forest Borough Councils)
Waste Local Plan for Berkshire 1998
Existing Waste collection and disposal services Provision Waste collection and disposal services for Wokingham Borough Council are provided through re3. Re3 is the joint working partnership between Wokingham Borough Council, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, Reading Borough Council and Waste Recycling Group for waste collection and disposal. To meet the Councils waste management responsibilities and national targets for waste management and recycling the Council has entered a 25 year waste Private Finance Initiative contract via re3 to provide and develop facilities for managing and disposing of the Borough’s waste.
New contracts to deliver waste management services for the Borough are being introduced in April 2012.
In 2010/11, re3 managed 190,965 tonnes of contract waste and collected more than 71,000 tonnes of waste in over 3.3 million waste collections. The recycling rate in the Borough has grown from 0% in 1990 to 41% in 2010/11. Re3 also organises the removal of between 400 and 500 fly tipping incidents per year.
Waste Services Domestic Waste Domestic waste collection is provided by the Borough Council through an external contractor, Veolia Environmental Services. Composting and garden waste and bulky items are collected at an additional cost.
Commercial Waste Commercial waste collection is the responsibility of individual businesses and should be transferred to a contractor authorised to receive it e.g. a licensed/permitted waste contractor or waste management site. A licensed waste management company must be used to dispose of
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commercial clinical waste. Other Clinical waste must be arranged to be collected separately.
Charities Collection from charity banks is the responsibility of the individual charities.
Bring Banks
There are 38 Bring Banks / recycling sites in the Borough. Glass, paper, textiles, books, tinfoil and tetrapak are received.
Tips There are no rubbish tips in the Borough. Materials including oil, paint, Asbestos and hazardous waste, Bulky waste and Business/trade waste can be recycled at Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre, Longshot Lane in Bracknell and Smallmead Household Waste Recycling Centre, Island Road, in Reading.
Planned Waste disposal capacity & facilities Provision The Waste and Recycling Collection contract for Wokingham Borough Council recently passed from SITA UK to Veolia Environmental Services. The Veolia bid included plans to manage predicted demographic growth based on overall growth figures and the potential areas for new housing in the Borough. It demonstrated how it will manage the growth in collections required, in terms of vehicles, staffing and collection patterns, how it will manage actual variations from the predicted growth pattern, and provided pricing mechanisms which give the best fit of clarity, flexibility and value for money to the council.
There are waste thresholds for the re3 partnership - a maximum waste input of 295,197 tonnes per annum. Provisional figures are showing that for financial year 20010/11 the three local authorities are around 100,000 tonnes below this threshold. As such there is capacity for population growth and additional waste in the Borough.
In respect of increased demand on waste facilities over the plan period, there are no plans for additional household waste recycling centres. Existing facilities used by re3 to serve the Borough are expected to be able to cope with identified development.
Individual development proposals include development of the sites allocated for development in the MDD DPD must
41 Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Proposed submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD) June 2012
provide for waste management collection and disposal.
Sources of The MDD DPD will seek development to incorporate waste Funding/ minimisation facilities on a site by site basis.
SDLs Waste minimisation – Developer to provide recycling facilities including signage and containers; these could be provided at the community centre. Possible provision of home composters for each property.
Services and infrastructure in the Borough are funded through direct provision from the Council, the WBC Waste Infrastructure Capital Programme, Central government funding and Council taxes.
Services: The current Private Finance Initiative re3 contract is worth £610m. It is to provide new waste management facilities, minimise waste and fund the refurbishment of both Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) (which are in Bracknell Forest Council’s area). Recent refurbishment of the 2 household waste recycling centres in the Borough was funded through the joint waste PFI. The partnership received a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) grant from the Government of £37m. As this is paid as an annual grant over the 25 years, this equates to £74m by the end of the contract term.
Key issues & The Waste and Recycling contract for Wokingham Borough Rationale Council recently passed from SITA UK to Veolia Environmental Services.
There is capacity for population growth and additional waste in the Borough.
Conclusion No capacity issues are expected for waste management and Action facilities and services arising from the sites allocated in the MDD DPD.
The Council will seek development to incorporate waste minimisation facilities in development s on a site by site basis.
Air quality
Lead Wokingham Borough Council
42 Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Proposed submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD) June 2012
Organisation(s) Environment Agency
Department of Energy & Climate Change
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Main Sources Wokingham Air Quality Progress Reports, Update & of Information Screening Reports, Review & Assessment Reports 2004 – 2011
Wokingham Local Transport Plan 3, 2011
Green House Gas Report 2010 / 2011
Sustainable Environment Strategy 2010-2020
Wokingham Borough Council Sustainable Design and Construction, Supplementary Planning Document, 2010
Local Air Quality Management, Policy Guidance LAQM.PG(09) & Technical Guidance LAQM.TG(09), Defra 2009
The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 2007
Development Control: Planning For Air Quality – Updated guidance from NSCA on dealing with air quality concerns within the development control process, NSCA 2006
Development Control: Planning for Air Quality, National Society for Clean Air (NSCA) 2004
The Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change 2000
Existing Existing services & infrastructure Provision Wokingham Borough Council has a responsibility (part IV of the Environment Act 1995, Local Air Quality Management) to review and assess air quality within the Borough to determine public exposure to certain gases.
The Council has an Air Quality Monitoring Programme in place to deliver this work. It has found that air pollution in most areas of the Borough meets Government standards for all pollutants; however, annual mean nitrogen dioxide levels near the M4 motorway were exceeding recommended EU values. As such an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) was designated in May 2004 which runs along 60m either side the length of the M4 in
43 Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Proposed submission Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MDD DPD) June 2012
the Borough.
The Council operates two continuous monitoring units: one within the existing AQMA and the other at Forest School.
Planned WBC plans to continue monitoring air quality. The Council’s Provision annual review and assessment work has suggested the need to retain the existing AQMA as the levels of nitrogen dioxide in this area continue to exceed recommended values.
The Wokingham Borough Council Sustainable Environment and Climate Change Partnership sets out a number of priorities which include:
• A target of a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2015 and 40% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020 for the Borough
• Carbon emissions from the Council’s estate will have been reduced by 40% (from the 2008 baseline)
• All new Council domestic buildings will be built to the zero carbon standard and produce 10% renewable energy
• Ensuring there are no areas within the borough where nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the air exceed national air quality objectives (NI194)
The Council will implement and achieves these actions through planning and licensing processes and direct management of and investment in the Council’s own estate.
Sources of Developer Contributions Funding/ WBC and developer direct provision
Environmental Health
Key issues & Provisions of the emerging draft Air Quality Action Plan Rationale Likely costs to continue provision of service and likely cost to developers
Conclusion and Action Individual development proposals may be required to provide Air Quality Assessments, measures to mitigate pollution, and air quality infrastructure (e.g. incl. ventilation,
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changes to design & layout, extractor fans) in the design of schemes.
2.4 Social and Community Infrastructure
Affordable Housing
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Registered Providers
Wokingham Housing Limited
Other private, voluntary and independent providers
Main Sources Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document, of Information 2011
Wokingham Borough Council Annual Monitoring Report 2004 - 2011
Update to Affordable Housing Viability Study, Levvels Ltd, 2009
Affordable Housing Viability Study, Levvels Ltd, 2008
Berkshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2007 and 2012 update
Local Area Agreement 2008-2011
Existing Affordable housing is defined as non-market housing, Provision provided to those whose needs are not met by the market, for example homeless persons and key workers. It can include social-rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing The provision of affordable housing is split 70:30 between rented and shared ownership as detailed in the Affordable Housing Viability Study.
Provision The majority of affordable housing in the Borough is generated as part of market housing developments. The affordable housing will normally be secured by a Registered Provider (RP) under a joint commissioning agreement with the Council, via a planning obligation on market housing development. This ensures that properties remain as affordable housing in perpetuity. The annual
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(31 st March – 1 st April) level of affordable housing output in the Borough from 2004 to 2011 is set out below:
Year Number of Affordable Homes 2004/5 47 2005/6 139 2006/7 165 2007/8 78 2008/9 53 2009/10 70 2010/11 70 Planned The Council has established a local housing company, Provision Wokingham Housing Limited, with the purpose of providing sustainable affordable housing.
Core Strategy Policy CP 5 sets out the affordable housing requirement to be provided as part of market housing development.
All residential proposals of at least 5 dwellings (net) or covering a net site area of at least 0.16 ha will provide up to 50% of the net additional units proposed as affordable dwellings, where viable. The Council will negotiate the tenure, size and type of affordable units on a site by site basis having regard to housing needs, site specifics and other factors. Subject to viability, the minimum percentages of affordable housing sought on site by land type and location are:
Land Location (CP9) Size trigger % types Previously Within 5 to 14 dwellings 20 developed Development (net) or land Limits between 0.16ha and 0.49ha (net) Previously Within Major 15 dwellings or more 30 developed Development (net) or 0.5ha (net) land Location and larger Previously Within Modest 15 dwellings or more 40 developed or (net) or 0.5ha (net) land Limited and larger Development Location Greenfield Within Major 5 dwellings (net) or 35 Development more or 0.16 ha (net) Location and larger Greenfield Within Modest 5 dwellings (net) or 40 or more or 0.16 ha (net) Limited and larger
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Development Location Any Outside 5 dwellings (net) or 40 development more or 0.16 ha (net) location and larger Any Strategic 5 dwellings (net) or 35 Development more or 0.16 ha (net) Location or larger (policies CP18-21)
Consideration will be given, where there is sufficient justification, to a financial contribution towards the provision of affordable housing elsewhere in the Borough. The Council recognises that there may be circumstances where it may be appropriate for the Council to consider a commuted sum payment with the agreement of the developer. This could include progressing strategic housing objectives, including regeneration projects, in the Borough.
SDLs The majority of affordable housing provision for the Borough will be drawn from the SDLs where at least 35% of homes must be affordable. Within each SDL this could provide for approximately: • c.1,225 homes in Arborfield Garrison • c.875 homes in South of M4 • c.875 homes in South Wokingham • c.525 homes in North Wokingham
Sources of Direct provision and/or financial contributions (including Funding/ commuted sums) will be sought from developers in the provision of affordable housing. Policy CP5. This was considered to be reasonable in terms of viability by the Levvel’s Update to the Affordable Housing Viability Study 2009.
Key issues & The supply of affordable housing is largely drawn from Rationale market housing development. The Council has set up Housing Company to help deliver affordable housing in various forms of tenure to help meet residents’ needs.
Conclusion Affordable housing is primarily provided (on-site and/or and Action commuted sum) via market housing development in line with Core Strategy policy CP5 – Housing mix, density and affordability and continues to be viable despite depressed market circumstances. Sites allocated in the MDD DPD will be required to provide affordable housing in line with Policy CP5
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Primary Education
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Department for Education (DfE) Education Funding Agency (EFA)
Main Sources Wokingham Borough Council, Children and Young of Information People’s Plan 2012-15
Local Development Framework (LDF) projections – February 2009, Impact on Wokingham Schools
Wokingham Borough Council Pupil Level Annual Census Data
Department for Education (DfE) Building Bulletins
Wokingham Community Strategy
Existing Primary places - demand Provision The Council as the Local Authority has a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places for children of statutory school age requiring state- funded school places. It is the local authority’s responsibility to identify the need for and commission additional school places or additional schools. Provision will be through a combination of Local Authority maintained schools, and other state funded schools established through agreement with the Secretary of State (Academies and Free Schools).
A very small proportion of children will not require state- funded school places because they are in fee-paying independent sector, or their parents opt to educate them at home 2 Although the duty is to secure a school place for every resident child requiring one, places may not be reserved to resident families. Parents are entitled to select schools in other borough areas, so there is a cross-border element to the supply of, and demand for, school places. For primary education, this only has a significant effect for schools that are relatively close to the borough boundary.
For primary school place planning purposes, the Borough is subdivided into 6 areas. Data about current children in schools is collected through the statutory Pupil Level
2 For information only, background data on independent fee-paying schools and home education can be appended.
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Annual School Census (PLASC). Future demand for places is also projected, primarily from ward-level birth data taking account of patterns of school preference and admission.
Primary places - supply The Council, as part of its strategic duty to ensure sufficiency of school places, monitors school capacity and provide annual returns to the DfE. A national methodology for measuring and assessing the net capacity of schools is prescribed for this purpose.
Due to the statutory infant class size limit (30 pupils, ages 4-7), admissions to primary schools, and school capacities, must be planned in multiples of 30 (or 15, teaching in mixed-age classes), - the main exception to this being rural and other small schools operating on restricted sites.
The Audit Commission has previously recommended 3 that the aim should be for individual schools to operate at 90- 105% capacity, with an action threshold at 25% surplus places. Where there is a projected shortfall in school places, data in the annual school capacity return is taken into account in the allocation of basic need capital grant to local authorities.
National oversight of the school estate, including the monitoring and distribution of school capital and revenue funding 4, transferred to the Education Funding Agency (EFA, a newly established executive agency of the DfE, in April 2012.
Current status of primary place provision in the Borough 5 Many individual schools and neighbourhoods are effectively operating at full capacity (95-105% being the operating range advised by the Audit Commission), with little or no remaining capacity available in the younger age groups, due to an established trend of rising birth numbers. These figures reflect a number of temporary and permanent school expansions to meet immediate local pressures on school places.
Further projects to provide extra capacity at existing sites have been agreed and will be implemented for 2012-13.
3 Audit Commission “ 4 For maintained schools, capital and revenue funds are distributed via the local authority. Once established, academies and free schools receive their funding direct from the EFA. 5Draft summary pending completion of latest summary to accompany the annual school capacity (SCAP) return to DfE (due to be submitted July 2012).
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Summary by area
Area 1 – Woodley There are eight primary schools within this area. In January 2012 there were 2310 pupils on roll. When compared with the current net capacity of 2452 this indicates a nominal surplus of 6%.
Area 2 - Earley There are seven schools within the area of Earley. In January 2012 there were 2971 pupils on roll. This matches the combined capacity of 2975; the area has no surplus capacity.
Area 3 - Wokingham and Winnersh There are five schools serving the eastern part of Wokingham town. In January 2012 there were 1191 pupils on roll. When compared with the current net capacity of 1366 this indicates a nominal surplus of 13%.
There are seven schools serving the western part of Wokingham town and the Winnersh area. In January 2011 there were 1911 pupils on roll. This matches the current capacity of 1911, leaving no surplus capacity.
Overall there were 3102 pupils on roll compared with a combined school capacity of 3277, so despite there being some surplus available, most schools are full and the area is operating almost at full capacity (95%).
Area 5 – North There are eight schools within this area. In January 2012 there were 1381 pupils on roll. When compared with the net capacity of 1431 this indicates a nominal surplus of only 3% so the area is effectively operating at full capacity.
Area 6 – South West There are six schools within the South West area. In January 2011 there were 1354 pupils on roll. When compared with the net capacity of 1386 this indicates a nominal surplus of only 2% so this area is effectively operating at full capacity.
Area 7 – South East There are eight schools within the South East area. In January 2011 there were 1605 pupils on roll. When compared with the net capacity of 1687 this indicates the area as a whole is operating at close to full capacity (95%).
Table 1 : Current data showing demand and supply of
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school places (2011-12 school year): This table lists school capacities and numbers of pupils currently enrolled. It shows the degree to which individual schools and areas have a shortfall or surplus of school places to serve the present school population. (See Table 1 below this template ).
Planned Borough-wide, primary schools are operating at 95%, Provision meaning that in most areas one or more of the most local schools will be full at entry. Additional places are needed so that the Council can respond to a rising birth rate and rising pupil numbers, in order to be able to offer every applicant for primary schools a school place within reasonable distance to their home. We project that this underlying upwards trend leads to pupil numbers of 15,500 by January 2016. This would represent a 17% deficit of school places without significant work to increase capacity in “hot spots” across the Borough. The yield of additional pupils from planned housing development will require additional school places over and above this rising demand from existing communities.
At this stage, planned primary school provision comprises of the following, by area:
1 Woodley Demand in the short term, from the existing community will soon absorb the existing capacity; and an additional supply of school places will be required to meet demand generated by anticipated housing development within the area served by these schools.
A number of the current schools occupy sites that could provide potential for expansion, subject to planning Specific proposals to be brought forward for consultation.
2 Earley One primary school expansion has been agreed, for 2012- 13, to meet the current demand for places. The area bounds south Reading, where there is also pressure on school places. Any available places within this area will tend to be absorbed by cross-border demand, and this dynamic means there will be little available surplus for children needing places due to moving home and applying late or in-year.
3 South South of M4 SDL will provide at least two new primary schools, together with the likely expansion of those existing primary schools in the area (where site factors allow) to
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meet rising demand from the numbers of children in the existing community.
Arborfield Garrison SDL is a long-term development of 3,500 dwellings, and includes a need for at least 2 two- form entry primary schools.
There is little or no scope to further expand on current school sites in this area beyond the limited temporary expansion at two schools to meet the immediate growth in demand from the existing community for 2012-13.
There is demand for at least one new school site in the area within the near future. It may be necessary to expand the capacity of new schools at a future date to meet the projected rising demand from the existing local community.
We will seek to allow for this contingency when any new schools are established.
4 Finchampstead and Wokingham Without The neighbourhood does not include any Strategic Development Locations (SDLs) but is affected by other development. The current shortfall of school places in the adjacent south-west (area 3, above) exerts a pressure on this neighbourhood’s school capacity.
5 Wokingham and Winnersh There is some surplus capacity in the two schools to the northeast of the Town Centre, but demand exceeds capacity across the rest of the area’s schools.
Town West Neighbourhood & Winnersh Temporary additional capacity is already in place, but further school capacity will be required in the area to meet demand from planned housing development, and rising demand from the existing community including small to medium developments in this area. It is proposed to increase capacity locally to accommodate this demand.
North Wokingham SDL will take up any of the remaining local capacity and require the provision of at least one new primary school with two-forms of entry.
South Wokingham SDL will require the provision of at least 2 two-form entry primary schools.
6 North The Colleton Primary school is being permanently expanded to a full two-form entry school (2012-13) to meet
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current demand in the area. It may be necessary to provide further additional capacity within the area to meet the significant upwards trend being projected in pupil numbers locally.
Primary and Secondary Strategies, which will set out the Council’s approaches to forward planning of school places, are likely to be considered by the Executive in September 2012.
Sources of WBC Capital programme. (WBC Capital Resources) Funding/ include basic need capital grant. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) will determine allocation of this grant informed by annual School Capacity Return (SCAP) returns from local authorities.
Developer provision within the SDLs and developer contributions
Key issues & The housing target for the Borough was set in the Core Rationale Strategy.
The impact of confirmed housing sites allocated has been assessed in the context of current and projected supply and demand of school places.
Existing capacity is able to meet demand with planned permanent or temporary expansions.
Existing sites have limited or no capacity to expand, or expansion may be unfavourable due to cost and planning considerations.
Additional school places will need to be provided on new school sites, supplemented by expansion of existing schools, where this is feasible and appropriate.
The majority of new sites will be schools associated with SDLs. To provide flexibility to generate further supply of school places to meet growth in local demand from existing community, consideration of new school sites should include the potential for future expansion by an additional form of entry.
Conclusion Within the SDLs there will be direct provision of primary and Action schools or contributions to existing.
Sites allocated within the MDD DPD will be required to contribute to primary education in line with advice set out in the Council’s Planning Advice Note (2010) which sets out
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the requirement for mainstream educational contributions where schools in the vicinity of the development are in deficit. This may be to existing or new schools. A Special Educational Needs contribution will be sought in all instances .
Table 1 Primary Schools – numbers on roll/net capacity
Total Number on Register AREA Primary School (NOR) capacity % full 2011- Jan-12 12 E Aldryngton Primary 320 315 102% E Earley St Peter's 484 490 99% E Hawkedon Primary 495 490 101% E Hillside Primary 424 420 101% E Loddon Primary 414 420 99% E Radstock Primary 425 420 101% Whiteknights E Primary 409 420 97% Earley area 2971 2975 100%
Colleton Primary, N The 259 262 99% N Crazies Hill 98 105 93% Polehampton N Infant 157 Polehampton N Junior 409 240 103% Robert Piggott N Infant 121 Robert Piggott N Junior 282 196 89% N Sonning Primary 204 210 97% St Nicholas N Primary 129 140 92% North area 1381 1431 97%
SE Finchampstead 123 119 103% SE Gorse Ride Infant 180 SE Gorse Ride Junior 405 240 96% Hatch Ride SE Primary 203 210 97% SE Nine Mile Ride 328 350 94% SE Oaklands Infant 400 180 95%
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SE Oaklands Junior 240 SE St Sebastian's 146 168 87% South East area 1605 1687 95%
SW Coombes Primary 553 502 110% SW Farley Hill Primary 215 184 117% SW Grazeley Primary 103 105 98% SW Lamb's Lane 213 243 88% SW Shinfield Infant 180 SW Shinfield St Mary's 270 172 77% South West area 1354 1386 98%
TE All Saints Primary 196 315 62% Keep Hatch TE Primary 346 420 82% TE St Teresa's 260 240 108% TE Wescott Infant 151 TE Westende Junior 389 240 99% Town East area 1191 1366 87%
TW Bearwood Primary 213 255 84% TW Emmbrook Infant 180 TW Emmbrook Junior 413 240 98% Hawthorns TW Primary, The 457 417 110% TW St Paul's Junior 384 TW Walter Infant 649 270 99% TW Winnersh Primary 392 420 93% Town West area 1911 1911 100% Town East + West 3102 3277 95%
Beechwood W Primary 312 300 104% W Highwood Primary 177 210 84% Rivermead W Primary 307 372 83% South Lake W Primary 408 420 97% W St Dominic Savio 392 420 93% W Willow Bank Infant 180 W Willow Bank Junior 418 240 100% W Woodley Primary 296 310 95% Woodley area 2310 2452 94%
WBC all primary 12823 13208 97%
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Secondary Education Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Department for Education (DfE) Education Funding Agency (EFA)
Main Sources Wokingham Borough Council, Children and Young of Information People’s Plan 2012-15
Local Development Framework (LDF) projections – February 2009, Impact on Wokingham Schools
Wokingham Borough Council Pupil Level Annual Census Data
Department for Education (DfE) Building Bulletins
Wokingham Community Strategy
Existing Secondary places - demand Provision The Council as the Local Authority has a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places for children of statutory school age requiring state- funded school places. It is the local authority’s responsibility to identify the need for and commission additional school places or additional schools. Provision will be through a combination of Local Authority maintained schools, and other state funded schools established through agreement with the Secretary of State (Academies and Free Schools).
A very small proportion of children will not require state- funded school places because they are in fee-paying independent sector, or their parents opt to educate them at home 6 Although the duty is to secure a school place for every resident child requiring one, places may not be reserved to resident families. Parents are entitled to select schools in other borough areas, so there is a cross-border element to the supply of, and demand for, school places. For secondary education, there are significant flows of children in both directions across the Borough boundaries.
Data about current children in schools is collected through the statutory Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC). Future demand for places is also projected, primarily from information about children already registered in primary schools and patterns of admission through to secondary schools.
6 For information only, background data on independent fee-paying schools and home education can be appended.
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Secondary places - supply The Council, as part of its strategic duty to ensure sufficiency of school places, monitors school capacity and provide annual returns to the DfE. A national methodology for measuring and assessing the net capacity of schools is prescribed for this purpose.
National oversight of the school estate, including the monitoring and distribution of school capital and revenue funding 7, is the responsibility of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) established as an executive agency of the DfE in 2012.
The DfE has previously endorsed Audit Commission recommendations 8 that the aim should be for individual schools to operate at 90-105% capacity, with an action threshold at 25% surplus places.
Where there is a projected shortfall in school places, data in the annual school capacity return (SCAP) is taken into account in the allocation of basic need capital grant to local authorities.
Post 16 Education The school leaving age is 16, though many young people will stay on in secondary education. All Wokingham’s maintained secondary schools and Academies have sixth forms. Other students will transfer to Sixth Form Colleges or Colleges of Further Education.
The Council has a duty to secure sufficient suitable education and training opportunities to meet the reasonable needs of all young people in their area. “Young people” in this context means those who are over compulsory school age but under 19, or are aged 19 to 25 and subject to a learning difficulty assessment. This lead responsibility is discharged working in partnership with providers, through the 16-19 Education Partnership.
Government policy is that students must continue in education or training until they are 17 years old with effect from September 2013, and until 18 years with effect from September 2014.
Current status of secondary place provision in the
7 For maintained schools, capital and revenue funds are distributed via the local authority. Once established, academies and free schools receive their funding direct from the EFA. 8 Audit Commission “ 9Draft summary pending completion of latest summary to accompany the annual school capacity (SCAP) return to DfE (due to be submitted July 2012).
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Borough 9 In January 2012, there were 10,220 pupils on roll across the eight schools, compared with an aggregate net capacity of 10,702, giving a nominal surplus of 4% across the Borough.
Nearly all of the schools are at or close to operating capacity (95-105%). The additional capacity from the BSF project at Waingel’s College (increasing to 1,500 design capacity) has not yet been assessed and confirmed.
Maiden Erlegh School, The Piggott School and The Holt School became Academies on (1 April 2011), (1 July 2011) and (1 July 2011) respectively.
Table 2 : Current data showing demand and supply of school places (2011-12 school year): This table lists school capacities and numbers of pupils currently enrolled. It shows the degree to which individual schools have a shortfall or surplus of school places to serve the present school population. ( See Table 2 below template ).
Planned Primary and Secondary Strategies, which will set out the Provision Council’s approaches to forward planning of school places, are to be considered by the Executive in September 2012.
Based on our pupil projection model, and the expected impact of new housing, we estimate that the Borough-wide the number of children on roll would stand at 11,578 in January 2018. Without any increase in capacity, this would represent a 12.6% deficit of places.
A ninth school, Oakbank, is expected to open in September 2012. This is a small Free School to be established by the Secretary of State, but if opened will form part of the state- funded education estate serving the Borough.
It is considered that, in addition to establishing a secondary school site to serve the South of the Borough, a number of the other schools may need to have their capacity expanded to 1500 to meet the demand from rising numbers and to meet parent preference.
Sources of WBC Capital programme. (WBC Capital Resources include Funding/ basic need capital grant. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) will determine allocation of this grant informed by annual School Capacity Return (SCAP) returns from local authorities.
Developer contributions
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Key issues & The quantum of housing development to be allocated was Rationale set in the Core strategy.
The impact of confirmed housing sites allocated has been assessed in the context of current and projected supply and demand of school places.
Additional school places will need to be provided as demand from new housing begins to take effect, and as the increased birth and primary school numbers begin to arrive in secondary schools.
Conclusion With regard to the Strategic Development Locations, and Action Arborfield Garrison SDL and South of M4 SDL will contribute to the provision of a new secondary school at Arborfield Garrison to serve the south of the borough. South Wokingham SDL and North Wokingham SDL will contribute to extend capacity of existing schools to include post 16 education.
Sites allocated within the MDD DPD will be required to contribute to secondary education in line with advice set out in the Council’s Planning Advice Note (2010) which sets out the requirement for mainstream educational contributions where schools in the vicinity of the development are in deficit. This may be to existing or new schools. A Special Educational Needs contribution will be sought in all instances.
Table 2 Secondary Schools – numbers on roll/net capacity
SCHOOL status gender capacity* TOTAL % full pupils
Bulmershe maintained co-ed 1383 1041 75% Emmbrook maintained co-ed 1219 1215 100% Forest maintained boys 1166 1129 97% Holt Academy girls 1209 1268 105% Maiden Erlegh Academy co-ed 1788 1821 102% Piggott Academy co-ed 1309 1238 95% St Crispin's maintained co-ed 1128 1102 98% Waingel's College** maintained co-ed 1500 1408 94% Oakbank Academy/FS co-ed 0 0 TOTAL 10702 10222 96%
NB Oakbank - proposed Free School due to open in 2012 (to be
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confirmed)
* net capacities - due to be reassessed Summer 2012 ** design capacity, not confirmed
Early Years Provision
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Department for Education (DfE) Education Funding Agency (EFA) Office for Standards in Children’s Services, Education and Skills (OfSTED)
Main Sources Wokingham Borough Council, Children and Young of Information People’s Plan 2012-15
Wokingham Borough Council Pupil Level Annual Census Data
Department for Education (DfE) Building Bulletins
Wokingham Community Strategy
Existing Early Years Sufficiency Duty Provision The Council has a duty to secure sufficient childcare, so far as is reasonably practicable, for working parents, or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0-14 (or up to 18 for disabled children).
If sufficient child care cannot be provided the Council has a duty to identify any gaps in childcare and how these will be addressed including the possibility of providing the childcare directly.
Early Years Demand All eligible three and four year olds are entitled to between 15 to 25 hours free early years education provision per week, over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year. The entitlement must be offered within part of the National Framework for Delivery. In 2011 there were 3,200 children accessing early education services in settings across the Borough.
With effect from 2013, 20% of the most vulnerable 2 year olds will also be entitled to 15 hours per week over a minimum of 38 weeks per year of free early education. In
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2014 this will rise to 40% of the most vulnerable 2 year olds.
Early Years Provision Early education provision is available through a number of providers. These are divided between the Local Education Authority (LEA) maintained and non-maintained sectors. In terms of available places, the total provision in the Borough is divided between the following types of provision:
Table 1: Type of Provision No. places
LEA Nursery places within maintained 676 schools LEA Nursery School 156 Private early years provision / nursery 1504 schools Pre-schools Unknown Voluntary early years provision 1461 Independent school early years 264 provision / Nursery units Total 4061
Maintained school sector: There are 14 maintained primary or nursery schools providing early years education. At January 2012 there were 727 children registered (Table 3)
Planned Through a number of providers including LEA and private Provision early years provision.
Within the SDLs the Infrastructure Delivery and Contributions SPD for the SDLs seeks early years provision within the new primary schools to be provided.
Sources of Private companies, education trusts and LEA. Funding/ Key issues & The Council has a duty to secure sufficient childcare, so far Rationale as is reasonably practicable, for working parents, or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0-14 (or up to 18 for disabled children).
If sufficient child care cannot be provided the Council has a duty to identify any gaps in childcare and how these will be addressed including the possibility of providing the childcare directly.
Conclusion Within SDLs early years provision sought within the new and Action primary schools to be provided.
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With regard to sites allocated in the MDD DPD the requirement for contributions to LEA provision will be reviewed periodically within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the MDD DPD and the future Community Infrastructure Levy.
Primary Care
Lead Berkshire West NHS Primary Care Trust Organisation(s) Main Sources NHS Berkshire West Estates Strategy 2010-2017 of Information NHS Berkshire West Strategic Plan 2009-2014
Wokingham’s Older People’s Housing Strategy 2008
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Annual Plan 2008-2009
Impact of housing growth on Berkshire West PCT (Wokingham Area) in the period to 2026, July 2007
‘Our Care, Our Health, Our Say’, February 2006
The National Improvement Plan for the NHS, June 2004
Existing General Provision NHS Berkshire West Primary Care Trust (PCT) plans and commissions primary health care for the population of the eastern part of Berkshire. This covers the Newbury, Reading and Wokingham areas and is part of the South Central NHS Strategic Health Authority. At 2007, there were over 152,000 registered patients in the Borough.
Primary health care Key services provided include GPs, community nurses, Associated Healthcare Professionals (AHPs), community health facilities, together with dentists, nursing services and opticians.
General Medical Practitioners (GP) A key element in the delivery of primary healthcare is the network of general practitioner (GP) surgeries. All permanent residents are entitled to the services of a GP; doctors do not have an obligation to automatically accept patients. At 2007, there were over 152,000 registered patients and 14 GP practices in Wokingham Borough. A single GP can have a maximum of 3,500 patients; the
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average list size for a whole time equivalent GP in Wokingham was 2,050 patients.
Nationally and locally the healthcare strategy seeks to devolve an increasing number of services and treatments from hospitals to local facilities. This means that primary healthcare is becoming more than simply GPs’ surgeries, and there is an increasing need for larger premises.
General Pharmaceutical Services There were 20 Community Pharmacies in Wokingham. • 3 in Crowthorne • 3 in Earley • 1 in Finchampstead • 1 in Spencer’s Wood • 3 in Twyford • 1 in Winnersh • 1 in Wargrave • 4 in Wokingham • 3 in Woodley
General Dental Services There were 21 Dental practices in Wokingham. 13 of these practices provided services for NHS patients. • 2 in Crowthorne • 4 in Earley • 1 in Finchampstead • 3 in Twyford • 1 in Winnersh • 7 in Wokingham • 3 in Woodley
Non-acute hospital services A key element of community provision and non-acute services for people living in the Wokingham Area is the Wokingham Community Hospital. It has 40 beds which provide step down care for patients discharged from the Royal Berkshire Hospital and for patients who need periods of hospital care as part of their reablement programme. The hospital also provides a number of outpatient services.
Planned The most recent Berkshire West PCT assessment of Provision primary health care requirements in the Borough (‘Impact of housing growth on Berkshire West PCT (Wokingham Area) in the period to 2026 (July 2007)’) is based on preliminary housing forecasts figures for the Borough.
The PCT divides the Borough into three localities:
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• North (Woodley, Twyford, Wargrave) • South-West (Earley, Lower Earley, Shinfield, Arborfield, Swallowfield) • South-East (Wokingham, Winnersh, Sindlesham, Finchampstead, Crowthorne)
SDLs: With regards to provision in the SDLs. The Infrastructure Delivery and Contributions SPD for the SDLs indicates;
Arborfield Garrison: PCT indicates need for 4 GPs in an on-site surgery.
South of M4 SDL: Existing surgery in Shinfield will meet needs may require developer contribution if expansion is necessary.
North Wokingham SDL and South Wokingham SDL: Possible provision of GP surgery or contribution to existing GP surgeries
South Wokingham SDL. Where contributions are sought these will need to be justified by the PCT.
Sites in MDD DPD
North The PCT has developed a new surgery in the Woodley area. This involved the Parkside Family Practice and the Woodley Centre Surgery moving onto one site. The Parkside surgery at Green Road, Reading, and the Woodley Centre Surgery at Westfield Road, Winnersh, are unaffected by the relocation. The new surgery was opened in 2010.
South-East Wokingham The planned housing growth north and south of Wokingham would have an impact on a number of surgeries that were already struggling in terms of space availability. The surgeries that were most likely to be impacted upon by these developments were Tudor House/Rectory Road surgeries and Finchampstead Road and Cedar House. Surgeries. Planning permission has been granted in 2012 for the re-location of Tudor House/Rectory Road surgeries into larger accommodation within the centre of Wokingham at Ash Court in Rose Street.
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Winnersh 650 new houses were forecast for Winnersh. A new surgery in Woosehill opened in 2006 which had room to expand to allow for the recruitment of an extra GP to cope within housing growth within the practice’s area. However, the PCT was also aware of considerations of local accessibility and may seek a more sustainable solution.
Wokingham Community Hospital The PCT intends to redevelop the Wokingham Hospital site during the plan period with the primary use of the site being for healthcare facilities and services with some of the site released for residential development and sale.
Sources of Department of Health Funding/ Primary Care Trust (PCT)
The Estate Strategy identifies that Primary Care facilities will be improved where possible by seeking financial contributions from residential developers. These financial contributions will be on a formula basis and will depend on the number of houses built. Any financial contribution sought by the PCT will need to be justified
Key issues & Demographics Rationale The proportion of older people in the Borough is expected to rise, increasing the need for health and social care, with a notable increase in people affected by dementia. In Wokingham Borough the latest national estimates show that the population over 65 is set to rise from 21,900 in 2009 to 28,800 by 2020, and the predicted rise in this age group is 58% by 2030.
It is estimated that the numbers of people aged 65 and over with limiting long term illness will increase by over 14% in the next five years (2009-2014) translating to an increase of 1,230 people in Wokingham Borough. Overall numbers of people are increasing, particularly in Wokingham Borough.
The NHS Berkshire West Strategic Plan identifies that there are areas of deprivation in Wokingham Borough. This will further increase demands for a range of health care services within the Borough.
Facilities Both nationally and locally the healthcare strategy is to devolve an increasing number of services and treatments from hospitals to local facilities. This is part of an ongoing
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shift in the NHS towards community and home based primary and secondary care services. This, in turn, means that primary healthcare is becoming more than simply GPs’ surgeries, and there is an increasing need for larger premises.
Conclusion The provision of primary health care to meet needs arising and Action from new development will be primarily from provision within the SDLs. However, regard should be had to the remainder of the housing growth and the proposed allocation of sites.
Although potential requirements have been identified, further rational and justification is required for financial contributions from development of sites allocated in the MDD DPD.
Community Facilities Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Parish Councils Main Sources Wokingham Sustainable Community Strategy of Information Building on Success – Community Strategy for Wokingham District 2002- 2012
Local Area Agreement 2008 – 2011
Community Learning Plan
Community Safety Partnership (The Community Safety Partnership brings together representatives from the key organisations responsible for keeping the borough safe) . The partnership includes key local organisations: Thames Valley Police, the Borough Council, Thames Valley Probation, Berkshire West Primary Care Trust, Thames Valley Police Authority and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Existing Provision Existing community facilities include village halls; leisure centres libraries and religious buildings.
Planned The Community Infrastructure Strategy will establish needs Provision and set priorities for infrastructure requirements in the borough which can be used to inform future spending decisions. It will help to inform decisions on the Community
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Infrastructure Levy and will provide an evidence base for windfall funds and decisions on partnership projects. The Strategy is not yet finalised. Infrastructure areas which it covers that are not covered in other sections of the IDP are: • Community facilities/halls • Civic spaces • Cultural facilities • Community faith facilities • Community development
Strategic Development Location (SDLs) The SDLs will provide multi use community centres to meet the needs of community groups, Youth, voluntary sector, faith, parish council, library, cafe, retail/office appropriate leisure and recreation facilities i.e. indoor sports provision. The community centres may also provide for a Children’s Centre
Sources of Developer direct provision and through developer Funding/ contributions
Key issues & The Community Infrastructure Strategy will establish needs Rationale and set priorities for infrastructure requirements in the borough which can be used to inform future spending decisions
Conclusion Within the SDLs, the direct provision of multi use and Action community centres will help meet the needs of youth, voluntary sector, faith, parish council and leisure facilities.
With regard to sites allocated in the MDD DPD the requirement for contributions to community facilities provision for those not specifically covered in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan) will be reviewed periodically within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the MDD DPD and the future Community Infrastructure Levy.
Libraries
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Main Sources Wokingham Borough Council Cultural Strategy of Information Wokingham Borough Local Area Agreement 2008 – 2011
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Adult Community Learning Development Plan Update 2009 – 2011
Sustainable Community Strategy for Wokingham 2010 – 2020
Wokingham Borough Strategic Partnership Annual Report 2011
Place & Neighbourhood Services – Service Plan, 2008-11
Wokingham Borough Council Community Infrastructure Strategy Development Paper 2012
Museums, Libraries & Archives Council
Existing Under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, Provision Wokingham Borough Council is a Public Library Authority and has a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive, efficient and modern library service (including provision for adult community learning) to those who live, work or study within the Borough. There are 11 libraries in the Borough: • Arborfield Cross Container Library • Berkshire Record Office • Finchampstead Library • Lower Earley Library • Maiden Erlegh Library • Spencers Wood Library • Twyford Library • Wargrave Library • Winnersh Library • Wokingham Library • Woodley Library
• Twyford Library is less the government recommended size based upon population in catchment area • Arborfield has a population catchment that justifies a small permanent library based on Government recommendations • Spencers Wood Library – current building is not suitable for any expansion and is not centrally located
As well as offering books, Wokingham Borough libraries provide free internet access, events for adults and children, art displays, a Learndirect centre and a home library service. 99.6% of population currently live within 2 miles of a library. All of the Council’s existing library facilities and resources are utilised to full capacity. Annual expenditure on the library service is £1.6M.
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Learn Direct Wokingham Library has a learning zone with computers, internet access, information on education courses, and a ‘learndirect’ centre. Learndirect offers college and distance learning. There are three learning centres in the Borough: • Bracknell and Wokingham College • Earley Crescent Community Resource Centre • Karten CTEC - Computer-aided Training Education and Communication
Planned SDLs Provision Arborfield Garrison SDL Library facilities are planned to be provided at Arborfield Garrison SDL as part of the multi-use community centre.
South of M4 SDL Library facilities are planned to be provided at South of M4 SDL, in the early- to mid- phases of the development. North Wokingham SDL Developer contributions will be made toward library facilities for the North Wokingham SDL, to be delivered in the early- to mid- phases of the development. South Wokingham SDL Developer contributions will be made toward library facilities for the South Wokingham SDL, to be delivered during development.
Outside the SDLs Whilst no new library facilities are planned in the Borough outside of the SDLs, all of the Council’s existing library facilities and resources are utilised to full capacity. Individual developments will as a minimum require an increase in overall stock & resources. All changes or additions (individual and/or cumulative) to housing and some changes in commercial, industrial or retail development may require the establishment, relocation, upgrading or enhancement of one or more existing library facilities
The Council is finalising its Cultural Strategy. This will articulate the Borough’s needs, aspirations and plans across the spectrum of cultural provision including libraries.
Sources of Wokingham Borough Council Capital Programme Funding/ Developer direct provision or through contributions.
Contributions will be sought from development allocated in the MDD DPD.
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Key issues & All of the Council’s existing library facilities and resources Rationale are utilised to full capacity. Section 106 contributions are currently collected to fund existing and proposed provision
New library facilities are planned to be provided as part of the Arborfield Garrison and South of M4 SDLs.
Emerging Library Strategy
Emerging Community Infrastructure Strategy
Conclusion Monitor emerging Library Strategy and emerging and Action Community Infrastructure Strategy to identify need in the Borough.
Contributions will be sought from developments allocated in the MDD DPD.
Emergency Service (Police, Ambulance Fire Services)
Lead Thames Valley Police Authority (TVPA) and Thames Valley Organisation(s) Police South Central Ambulance Service Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Main Sources Strategy for policing Thames Valley 2011-14 incorporating of Information the Delivery Plan 2011-2012
Thames Valley Police Second Year Strategic Plan 2008 – 2011
South Central Ambulance Annual Plan 2011-2012
South Central Ambulance Service Estates Strategy 2009
RBFA Five year Integrated Risk Management Plan 2010- 2011-2015-2016 Action Plan 2012/13
Wokingham Borough Council Community Safety Strategy
Existing Police Provision Thames Valley Police (TVP) is the largest non-metropolitan force in England and Wales, serving a population of 2.1 million, including Berkshire. Wokingham Borough is a Local Police Area in the West Berkshire Basic Command Unit, the boundary of which is coterminous with the Local Authority area.
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Police Stations & Police Information Points There are two Police Stations in the Borough:
• Wokingham Police Station, The Courtyard, Denmark Street, Wokingham. This is a Tier 2 police station [Sector Station (small town)]
• Twyford Police Station, Station Road, Twyford. This is a Tier 1 Police Station (Neighbourhood police office)
Ambulance The South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) NHS Trust provides an emergency 999 ore-hospital care service and a patient transport service across Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
The SCAS Berkshire HQ is currently based in Wokingham A Patient Transport Service and Out of Hours service is based at Wokingham Hospital.
Fire and Rescue There are two fire stations in the Borough:
Wokingham Fire Station Easthampstead Road, Wokingham. A new fire station has recently been provided and is in service 24 hours a day. This is a state of the art building which incorporates many energy saving initiatives such as photovoltaic panels, regenerative heating systems and rainwater recycling, as well as being fitted with an emergency sprinkler system.
Wargrave Fire Station Victoria Road, Wargrave, RG10 8BP. It has been decided to retain this station.
Wokingham Road, Reading The Wokingham Road fire station in Reading is adjacent to the boundary with Wokingham Borough.
Planned Police Provision The majority of policing infrastructure provision for the Borough will be within the Strategic Development Locations (Arborfield Garrison SDL and South of M4 SDL Community Hubs and South Wokingham SDL will each include a neighbourhood police office. North Wokingham SDL will include up to two drop in Neighbourhood Police/Management facilities.)
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At present no other schemes are known to be planned in the Borough.
Ambulance The majority of improvements to the service will be gained from organisational changes and operational efficiencies.
Berkshire HQ, Wokingham The Trust is implementing a shift to three Divisional HQ and Control Centre facilities, of which Wokingham is one. A relocation of services to Northern House (Bicester) will result in the transfer of some corporate functions from Wokingham and allow a re-evaluation of space utilisation there. The use of space at Wokingham was due to be reviewed and a decision taken on whether relocation was required in advance of the expiry of the lease in 2011. A decision is now to be made after 2013.
Ambulance Stations (Berkshire Division) A previous programme of rationalisation has left Berkshire with four stations which are in poor condition. A subsequent operational review recommended that two purpose built ‘super stations’ should be provided, one in the East and one in the West of the division, to replace outdated resource centres. The super station offers the potential for co-location of PTS and courier services. Options under consideration are to re-provide the existing stations or to develop one super station by re-providing the Reading and Bracknell Resource Centres in a new facility in the junction 10/11/12 area close to the M4/A34 known as the Winnersh Triangle (Map of general area provided). To date this has not been progressed.
Standby Points Further standby points are required in a number of areas. A business case for an additional standby point in Shinfield has been produced; this is a priority for the Berkshire division.
Training Facilities Training facilities in Berkshire are spread across a number of locations. The Trust had planned to confirm the need for locality-based training and establishment of a Berkshire Training Centre. If a need is agreed, the options for Berkshire facility in the M4/A34 corridor would be assessed.
Fire and Rescue The majority of improvements to the Fire & Rescue service will be derived from prevention services, operational
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changes and relocation of services.
Achieving these improvements is dependent on having a suitable retained station in the north of Wokingham Borough. Initial plans to locate a station in Twyford / Knowl Hill have been changed. It is most likely any new fire station will be located in the Calcot/Theale area. Initial proposals to relocate Wargrave Fire Station to Twyford/Knowl Hill to improve fire cover in that area would only have improved emergency response across the service area by around 0.5%. Coupled with financial concerns, the service had decided to retain the existing fire station in Wargrave.
No other schemes are known to be planned in the Borough.
Sources of Thames Valley Police (TVP) Authority Funding/ Strategic health Authority
Primary Care Trusts
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue service (RBFRS)
The SDLs will provide for policing points within multi use community centres or stand alone facilities.
Key issues & Police Rationale As population increases, so does the number of incidents which adds pressure to the police service. To respond, TVP’s preferred strategy for the provision of safe and secure places and policing related infrastructure is through improved design (in line with Secured by Design principles)
Ambulance Increases in population need to be taken into account. The SCAS has embarked on a programme of change in the way pre-hospital care is delivered, working to treat more patients in their homes This involves focussing on prevention and use of communications technology and service integration . This may lead to move demand away from the need for physical infrastructure.
Fire and Rescue Building design The inclusion of domestic sprinklers are considered by RBFRS to be an essential inclusion in all new domestic dwellings. If all dwellings in the proposed development were fitted with
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domestic sprinklers it would negate the need to alter the existing fire service provision in the area, thus reducing associated costs for any proposed provision, reducing the burden on society after a fire, save lives, reduce casualties and reduce damage from fire.
Conclusion Police and Action Need for police points is recognised, as such provision has been factored into the proposed multi-functional community facilities within the SDLs. Further information is required to justify contributions. This will be reviewed periodically in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the MDD DPD and future Community Infrastructure Levy
Ambulance Infrastructure requirements will be reviewed periodically within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the MDD DPD and future Community Infrastructure Levy.
Fire and Rescue The installation of domestic sprinklers is not an issue that planning can resolve. Infrastructure requirements will be reviewed periodically within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the MDD DPD and future Community Infrastructure Levy.
2.5 Green Infrastructure
Open Space & Sport and recreational facilities
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s ) Parish and Town Councils
Fields in Trust
Community Groups
Private providers
Main Sources KKP, PPG17 Open Space, Sport & Recreation Study, Final of Information Amended Standards Paper, February 2012
Wokingham Annual Monitoring Report 2010 – 2011
A Sustainable Community Strategy for Wokingham 2020 (including consultation findings), Wokingham Borough
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Strategic Partnership, 2010.
Planning & Design for Outdoor Sport & Play, National Playing Fields Association, 2008 (Fields in Trust)
Sport England Strategy, 2008-2011
Wokingham Borough Visitor Survey of Informal Areas of Open Space (October 2007)
Sport, Leisure & Recreation for all in Wokingham, a Strategy for progress 2006 – 2016
Wokingham Borough Visitor Surveys, Footprint Ecology/WBC, 2007
A Play Strategy for Wokingham, 2006 – 2010 (and update)
Wokingham Open Space and Sports Assessment Audits (April 2005)
Spons ‘Landscape and External Works Price Book, 2006’.
Burial Review update 2012
Existing Existing Open Space provision Provision The Council has produced an Open Space, Sport & Recreation Study Standards Paper, February 2012 which sets out existing provision n the borough. These include:
Table 1 Type No. Total area (ha) Parks & Gardens 26 190 Natural and semi-natural 53 800 greenspace (including country parks and local nature reserves, SSSI and SANG) Amenity greenspace 182 208 Play areas for children and 134 8 young people Allotments 26 52 Cemeteries / Graveyards 22 26 Civic Space 2 1 Total 445 1,285
Green corridors In addition, the Borough’s Public Right of Way (PROW) network consists of c.230 km. 151.9km of the network takes the form of footpaths. There is also the equivalent of
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22.8km of bridleways, 38.5km of byways and 16.4km of restricted byways within the Borough.
Existing sports facilities provision
Table 2 Type No. pitches / areas General Sports and recreational facilities Sports pitches 166 (football) Cricket pitches 19 Rugby union 14 (senior rugby union) Hockey 5 (full sized artificial grass) Bowls 10 (flat lawn bowling greens) Golf 9 (7 eighteen hole golf courses & 2 nine holes golf courses) Tennis Courts 126 tennis courts Athletics There are no designated athletic tracks within the Borough. Palmer Park (located in the neighbouring authority of Reading) is the nearest EA recognised 400 meter track facility and is the home venue of Reading Athletic Club. Netball 33 (netball courts across) Multi-use Games 56 MUGAs Areas Indoor sports & recreation facilities Sports halls 18 sports hall sites and 39 sites with (including activity activity halls halls): Swimming pools 21 indoor swimming pools. Of these, eight are full sized 25 metre pools Indoor bowls 1 centres Health and fitness 20 sites, providing at least 1,098 gyms fitness stations
Deficiencies The IDP does not consider issues of quality, access, value, demand or deficiencies (aside from adopted standards). However, it should be noted that a significant proportion of this provision is at education sites and/or non-local authority owned sites. As such a significant proportion is not available to the general public.
Existing Open Space Standards Open Space Standards – Core Strategy
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The Core Strategy open space requirements will be replaced by those in the MDD. Core Strategy policy CP3 – General Principles for development (as set out in Core Strategy Appendix 4) currently requires the provision of:
Public Parks: 4.65ha for 1,000 population. This is to be comprised of: • Public Parks includes Country Parks (2.92ha per 1,000 population) and; • Other Parks (1.73ha per 1,000 population). This is turn is to be comprised of: • Playing Pitches (1.67ha per 1,000 population), • Children’s Play as NPFA • Natural Greenspace (1ha per 1,000 population).
Amenity greenspace and civic hard surfaced spaces : to be provided within development areas on a site by site basis.
Allotments : 0.52ha per 1,000 population (principal settlements only: Earley, Shinfield (North of M4), Winnersh, Wokingham and Woodley)
Cemeteries/burial grounds 24 burial plots per 1000 dwellings
Planned The KKP, PPG17 Open Space, Sport & Recreation Study, Provision Final Amended Standards Paper, February 2012 provides the evidence base for the revised open space standards which will be set in the MDD DPD and applied to all development in the borough as appropriate. The standards for cemeteries /burial grounds have been amended to reflect the borough’s mortality rate. The standard for allotments will be applied borough wide to reflect existing demand and future needs.
The MDD DPD will require Open Space provision of:
Table 3 Open Space Standards (ha) per 1,000 population Parks and public gardens 1.1
Natural/semi natural green 2.84 space (excluding Country Parks)* Amenity greenspace 0.98 Provision for children and 0.25 young people (NEAPS; LEAPS; LAPS)
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Civic space 0.01 Outdoor sports facilities 1.66 Cemeteries/Burial 14.4 grave plots per 1,000 grounds# population Indoor Sports Standards (sqm) per 1,000 population Sports halls (4-bad court) 65.43 including Indoor bowls (2 rinks) and H & F gym (20 stations)
Swimming pool 8.26 Activity halls 41.31 *In line with the supporting text paragraph 4.49 (ii) to policy CP8 - Thames Basin Heath SPA of the Core Strategy, where Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) also meets the definition of natural greenspace it can also count towards this provision.
In respect of allotments, the requirement of 0.52 ha/1000 population as set out in Appendix 4 of the Core Strategy remains and will apply to all settlements within the borough including the SDLs.
# Assumes a grave plot can accommodate 2.5 burials on average Sources of Developer direct provision or through contributions Funding/
Key issues & Management and taking in charge of spaces Rationale Development will be expected to provide open space on site and/or make financial contributions, including for open space management
Mitigation for the impact of development on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) will be sought for development proposals within 5 km or 7 km of the SPA. This will be in line with advice set out in Core Strategy Policy CP8 and in line with the advice set out in the Council’s Planning Advisory Note (PAN) on Infrastructure Impact Mitigation Contributions for New Development (2010)
Conclusion Open space provision (or contributions in lieu) are planned and Action to be provided alongside proposal for development on a site by site basis for sites allocated in the MDD DPD.
Development will be expected to provide open space on site and/or make financial contributions. It is recognised
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that the borough’s country parks cater for a borough wide need. When there is no on-site provision of country parks the council will seek contributions to part fund the investment required to cater for increased demand. With regard to leisure contributions from commercial developments this will be based on floors pace/employee ration in line with advice set out in the Council’s Planning Advice Note on Infrastructure Impact Mitigation- Contribution for New Development
Public Rights of Way (PROWs)
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Main Sources KKP, PPG17 Open Space, Sport & Recreation Study, Final of Information Amended Standards Paper, February 2012
Local Transport Plan 3, 2011 - 2026
Wokingham Borough Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) 2009
The Blackwater Valley Strategy 2011 – 2015
Community Strategy Local Area Agreement 2010
Wokingham Open Space and Sports Assessment, Volume 1: A Strategic Open Space Assessment, Final Report, April 2005
Wokingham Open Space Study and Sports Assessment, Volume 2: Sports Assessment, Final Report, March 2005
Wokingham Biodiversity Action Plan 2003 – 2012
Existing The Borough’s PROW network consists of just less than Provision 230 km. Most of the network (151.9km) takes the form of footpaths. There is also the equivalent of 22.8km of bridleways, 38.5km of byways and 16.4km of restricted byways within the Borough.
Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act 2000) WBC has powers to declare and protect public Rights of Way and a duty to prepare a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP). The ROWIP must contain a statement of the action the local authority proposes to take: • for the management of local rights of way, and • for securing an improved network of local rights of
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way.
A public right of way is a route or way, over which the public has a legal right to pass and re-pass. All public rights of way are public highways. The land over which the right of way runs is usually private land; the surface of the path being vested in the highway authority (Wokingham Borough Council) with the subsoil being the property of the landowner.
There are 143 miles of public rights of way in the borough, which are managed by Wokingham Borough Council Countryside Service. Most paths are in the south and north of the borough, with markedly less paths in Woodley, Earley, Winnersh and Wokingham.
The ‘Definitive Map and Statement’ is a legal record of the existing public rights of way (footpaths, bridleways, byways open to all traffic and restricted byways) in an area and is kept by the Highway Authority. Sections 53 and 54 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 apply modification and reclassification orders to the definitive map and statement.
Planned Planned provision Provision Appendix 13 of the ROWIP sets out 125 proposed new routes / improvements for the public rights of way network. The ROWIP Statement of Actions 2 states that the Countryside Service will prioritise the delivery of certain new paths by 2011.
ROWIP Statements of Action The ROWIP Statement of Actions sets out the actions that the Council aims to achieve as a result of the ROWIP. The Actions which are most relevant the PROW infrastructure provision are:
SOA2: • Map, assess and prioritise proposed new paths (2011) • Assess fragmentation of network between local authority areas and liaise with neighbouring authorities to create new paths ( • Identify and utilise opportunities to create new paths as part of new developments and also through liaising with landowners
SOA3: • Identify and utilise opportunities in the planning process to create new paths or upgrade surfacing of existing paths that are near to schools, amenities
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and public Cost: over Carry out more frequent vegetation clearance on PROWs that are near to schools, train stations and bus stops transport (Ongoing. Deliverable within existing resources)
SOA4: • Identify relevant paths and possible funding sources, e.g. developer contributions • Identify relevant bridges, works needed and possible funding sources Identify every stile in the borough; liaise with landowners; replace each stile with a gate or gap where possible Identify potential locations, works needed to make them fully accessible and possible funding sources
SOA5: • Identify paths with recurring surface problems; investigate cause of the problem and most effective solution, e.g. Traffic Regulation Order or drainage works Seek opportunities in the planning process to upgrade surfacing of paths that are near to schools, amenities and public transport • Create and implement a gap, gate, stile policy
SOA6: • Secure a committed amount of funds per new household from developers towards countryside access improvements (Planning Advice Note 2) (2010. This can be provided for within existing resources). • Secure access improvements through section 106 agreements
SOA7: • Contribute and support the delivery of the Local Transport Plan shared priorities: Congestion, Accessibility, Road Safety, Air Quality and Quality of Life
Sources of Wokingham Borough Council direct provision, Capital Funding/ Programme and Countryside Service resources
Direct provision through development to improve accessibility to public rights of way or through contribution Key issues & Appendix 13 of the ROWIP sets out 125 proposed new Rationale routes for the public rights of way network. The ROWIP Statement of Actions 2 sets out that the Countryside Service will prioritise the delivery of certain new paths by 2011.
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Conclusion Sites allocated in the MDD DPD should through design and and Action layout provide accessibility to PROWS in line with the Rights of Way Improvement Plan. Contributions may be sought to upgrade accessibility where this cannot be achieved on site. These issues will be considered on a site by site basis
Biodiversity Nature conservation and wildlife mitigation measures Including Special Protection Area (SPA) Avoidance & Mitigation
Lead Wokingham Borough Council Organisation(s) Natural England
Environment Agency
Voluntary organisations (Wildlife Trusts, National Trust, Community Groups)
Developers & Landowners
Forestry Commission
Berkshire Nature Conservation Forum
Main Sources Blackwater Valley Countryside Strategy 2011 - 2015 of Information Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change 2000
Wokingham Reducing Environmental Impact Action Plan 2007- 2009
Wokingham Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2009
Wokingham Sustainable Environment Strategy 2010 – 2020
Wokingham Biodiversity Action Plan Progress Report 2008
Wokingham District Biodiversity Action Plan 2003-2012
UK Biodiversity Action Plan
Berkshire Biodiversity Action Plan
European Habitats Directive 1992
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Wokingham Borough Biodiversity Action Plan 2003-2012 and draft Biodiversity Action Plan 2012-2024
Natural England SANG standards
Special Protection Area (SPA) Miniplan
Existing There are a number of designations for nature Provision conservation, wildlife mitigation and biodiversity preservation. These are categorised as being of national and international significance and local or regional significance:
Sites of national or international importance: • SSSI • (SPA)
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs): There SSSIs in the Borough are ; • Heathlake • California Country Park • the River Kennet • Longmoor Bog. • The River Loddon
Local Nature Reserves (LNR): The Local Nature Reserves in the Borough are: • Longmoor Bog; • Heathlake; • Lavell's lake; • Highwood; • Aldermoors; • Maiden Erlegh Lakes and Woods; • Ali's pond; • Holt Copse & Joel Park; • Swallowfield Meadow and • Pearmans Copse. • Keephatch Park • Blubell Meadow
Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) (previously Wildlife Heritage Sites): Local Wildlife Sites are non-statutory sites of significant value for the conservation of wildlife. These sites represent local character and distinctiveness and have an important role to play in meeting local and national targets for biodiversity conservation. • There are 117 Local Wildlife Sites in the Borough.
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Local Geological Sites Local Geological Sites are non-statutory sites of local geological importance that have been surveyed and assessed against a national set of qualifying criteria. The Borough currently has five sites: • Wargrave Chalk Pit, • Remenham Church Lane Quarry, • The Coombes, • Barkham Iron-Rich Streams and • Longwater Road Gravel Pit.
Special Protection Area (SPA): While there are no Special Areas of Conservation or Special Protection Areas in the Borough, c.30% of the Borough lies within the 5km protection area for the Thames Basin Heath SPA.
Development within 5km and 7 km of the SPA which is likely to generate significant effects upon the SPA requires measures to ensure that the significant impacts are mitigated. This is by the provision of or contribution to suitable alternative natural Greenspace (SANG).
As part of the existing Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy, the Council The Council opened its 18.5ha SANG at Rooks Nest woods off Barkham Ride on 22 nd March 2011. The SANG has been designed to provide SANG mitigation for small scale development (outside of the Strategic development location) up until 2026
The Countryside Service manages the SANG.
A resolution to grant planning permission has recently been granted for the provision of SANG at Stanbury Park in Spencers Wood and Hyde End Road in Shinfield.
Planned SANG Requirement Provision The Strategic Development Locations (SDLs) will provide on site SANG mitigation for the SPA in line with Natural England advice and in line with Policy CP8, CP18-21 and Appendix 7 of the Core Strategy. There is also a requirement for appropriate contribution towards maintenance of the SANG and to strategic monitoring of the effectiveness of the SANG. The Council will only accept SANG which is delivered in line with Natural England’s advice and is provided in perpetuity.
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Sites for residential development allocated in the MDD DPD will need to provide direct provision or to contribute to SANG in line with the advice set out in the Council’s Planning Advice Note on Infrastructure Impact Mitigation- Contributions for New Development (Revised October 2010) There is also a requirement for appropriate contribution towards maintenance of the SANG and to strategic monitoring of the effectiveness of the SANG. The Council will only accept SANG which is delivered in line with Natural England’s advice and is provided in perpetuity
Non-residential development will be individually assessed for their likely significant effects. Where avoidance and mitigation measures are required, monitoring of their effectiveness will be necessary.
The MDD proposes to allocate 15 sites as SANG:
• Rooks Nest Woods, Barkham Ride, Barkham (18.3ha) • Land south-west of junction of Old Wokingham Road and Nine Mile Ride, Crowthorne (5.12ha) • Land surrounding West Court, The Devil’s Highway, Arborfield Garrison (70.71ha) • Land west of May’s Farm, Hyde End Road, Three Mile Cross (7.81ha) • Land east of May’s Farm, Hyde End Road, Three Mile Cross (11.94ha) • Land north-west of Nullis Farm, Ryeish Lane, Spencers Wood (8.96ha) • Land south and east of Tanner’s Copse, Hyde End Lane, Shinfield (19.31ha) • Land north of Bell Farm, Bell Foundry Lane, Wokingham (21.58ha) • Land at Keephatch Woods, Binfield Road, Wokingham (8.75ha) • Land west of St. Anne’s Manor Hotel, London Road, Wokingham (11.16ha) • Land north of Waterloo Road (near Lock’s Farm), Wokingham (15.04ha) • Land south of Waterloo Road (near Lock’s Farm), Wokingham (8.21ha) • Land opposite Holme Green, Heathlands Road, Wokingham (2.13 ha) • Land east of Lucas Hospital, Chapel Green, Wokingham (6.21 ha) • Land west of Lucas Hospital, Chapel Green, Wokingham (5.39ha).
Sources of Direct provision by developers or through contributions
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Funding/ Countryside Grants budget
External funding
Key issues & Development within 5km and 7 km of the SPA which is Rationale likely to generate significant effects upon the SPA requires measures to ensure that the significant impacts are mitigated. This is by the provision of or contribution to suitable alternative natural Greenspace (SANG). Policies within the Core Strategy and MDD DPD seek the promotion of biodiversity in new development.
Conclusion Specific on and off site measures may be required to and Action mitigate the impact on biodiversity including Local Nature Reserves and Local Wildlife Sites. If there are no significant biodiversity improvements delivered as a result of the development the Council will seek a contribution per dwelling which will be used to improve the borough’s biodiversity in line with the Borough’s Biodiversity Action Plano
Sites for residential development allocated in the MDD DPD will need to provide direct provision or to contribute to SANG in line with the advice set out in the Council’s Planning Advice Note on Infrastructure Impact Mitigation- Contributions for New Development (Revised October 2010) There is also a requirement for appropriate contribution towards maintenance of the SANG and to strategic monitoring of the effectiveness of the SANG.
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