Residents' vision to keep their parish's rural character adopted

A community vision for how Finchampstead should develop in future is now an official planning document.

The parish’s neighbourhood plan has been adopted by Wokingham Borough Council as part of its statutory development plan for the area.

This means it will be one of the starting points for determining planning applications in the parish, alongside the council’s own adopted local plans.

Finchampstead’s neighbourhood plan was drawn up by the parish council and local volunteers, and shaped by residents’ input before it passed independent examination. It went to a referendum on 7 September, with almost 90 per cent support from more than 2,500 residents who voted.

Facing the future constructively

The neighbourhood plan includes policies to influence the type and quality of development that comes forward during the years up to 2038.

It sets out to maintain Finchampstead parish's semi-rural nature and "distinct community footprint" as it, like the rest of the borough, faces the challenges of adapting to a growing population.

It will help to ensure that new development makes a “positive contribution to the local character” while protecting important areas of countryside.

This includes support for safer walking, cycling and horse riding connections to reduce car usage and address long-standing local concerns about traffic congestion.

It also includes local policies to protect nine valued green areas used by the community, conserve important gaps between settlements, support small business development where appropriate and more.

A joint community effort pays off

The neighbourhood plan has been in the works since September 2018, when the parish council voted to call for volunteers to help draft it. Volunteers from the Finchampstead Future community group worked on the project and the borough council adopted it at a full meeting on 21 September.

Cllr Lindsay Ferris, executive member for planning and local plan, said: “We’re pleased to have adopted another neighbourhood plan within our borough. Like other parishes before it, many residents turned out at the referendum and a large proportion voted in favour, which recognises the effort which went into ensuring it reflected their wishes.

“We thank everyone who gave so much of their time to help prepare it and will continue to support communities which are still preparing neighbourhood plans, or wish to do so.”

Elsewhere in the borough…

Hard copies of the Finchampstead Neighbourhood Plan can be viewed at the council’s offices in Shute End, Wokingham, or at Finchampstead Library at the FBC Centre in Gorse Ride North.

Meanwhile, the Ruscombe parish draft neighbourhood plan is also making good progress, having recently completed its examination.  The council is currently considering the examiner’s recommendations, with a report due to go before the decision-making executive later this month.

Neighbourhood plans are also in place for Twyford, Shinfield, Arborfield & Newland and Barkham parishes while Remenham, Hurst, Wokingham Without, Sonning, Charvil and Swallowfield parishes have all shown an interest in neighbourhood planning.