06 December  2024 - Number 6

NEWSLETTER

Save Our Blagrove Countryside – Planning Appeal Update 

Berkeley Homes has appealed the Wokingham Borough Council’s rejection of their planning application to build 350 houses between Evendons Lane and Barkham Road. This is our final chance to object to this damaging development.

Your voice matters – put your objections to the Appeal Inspector!   The deadline to submit your objection is 24th December 2024—don’t wait!

Submit your objection now via the Planning Inspectorate website: Make Representation

For full details of the objections, visit our website:
www.evendons-area.org.uk/SaveBlagrove

Just so you know, you cannot submit objections through the Wokingham Planning Portal. Use the Planning Inspectorate site to make your voice heard. The Appeal is the current stage of the application.

For any questions, email us at:
info@evendons-area.org.uk

Why We Must Object

A massive new estate is proposed, stretching from Evendons Lane to Barkham Road, which would involve:

• Building on green fields and destroying the rural character of the area.
• Cutting through an ancient woodland that is home to protected wildlife, including bats, badgers, and birds.
• Straining already overloaded local services, like GP surgeries.

This development would dramatically impact the local environment, roads, and community. The developers have timed the objection deadline just before Christmas, hoping to reduce public response—but your objection matters more than ever.

What’s at Stake?

1. Destruction of Natural Habitat
The development would destroy Bottle Copse, a well-established Local Wildlife Site. A road would cut through this pristine ancient woodland, leading to the loss of habitat for protected species. Over 167 mature trees would be felled, and ancient hedgerows uprooted, damaging ecosystems and wildlife for generations.

2. Loss of Rural Character
This green space, which contributes to the charm and quality of life in our community, would be lost forever. The open views across Viking Field would be replaced with hundreds of houses. Local wildlife would be unable to reach Viking Field from surrounding countryside, and Blagrove Lane—one of the last rural lanes in Wokingham—would be overwhelmed with traffic.

3. Impact on the Wokingham-Barkham Gap
The land in question is not designated for development in the Council’s Local Plan Update. It has always been agricultural land and native woodland, playing a crucial role in maintaining the distinct identities of Wokingham and Barkham. Allowing development here would close the green gap between these two communities forever.

4. Road Safety and Traffic Concerns
The development would increase traffic dramatically, especially around Evendons School. The proposal includes closing Blagrove Lane to northbound traffic and creating a new junction on a dangerous bend near Barkham Road. These changes would not only increase congestion but also pose serious risks to children and pedestrians, particularly outside Evendons Primary School.

ACT NOW!

The clock is ticking—the deadline is 24th December 2024. The developers are hoping to limit public opposition by scheduling the final day for objections over the Christmas period, but we can’t let this opportunity slip by.

Send your objections today—your voice counts!

To support the campaign, we urgently need funding to bring in experts. Please consider donating via PayPal using the QR code below.

Donate via PayPal

How to Object:

1. Visit the Planning Inspectorate Portal:
   Make Representation
2. Search for Application 3354667 and click “Make Representation.”
3. Submit your objection—the deadline is 24th December 2024.

For More Information:

• Visit our campaign page: www.evendons-area.org.uk/SaveBlagrove

Together, we can save our countryside and protect our community’s future. Don’t delay—act now!
#SaveOurBlagroveCountryside #CommunityAction #Wokingham

About EARA

In 2013, the residents of Evendons Lane and the surrounding area gathered as a Residents Association to try to maintain the local environment and help ensure that any development on land surrounding Leslie Sears and Viking field was appropriate. Several planning applications were successfully blocked.

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