48 homes and sports facilities at Hogwood Farm, Arborfield, Wokingham
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by Wokingham Planning Committee on 9 Jul 2025.
What was proposed
The application sought 48 homes with access, roads, parking, landscaping, drainage and cycle storage, alongside linked sports, allotment and play facilities.
“(1) 242653. Full application for the proposed erection of 48 residential dwellings with associated access, internal roads, parking, landscaping, drainage and cycle storage.”
“(2) 242696. Application for approval of Reserved Matters pursuant to Outline Planning Consent O/2014/2179 (as varied by 181194, dated 14/11/2018). The Reserved Matters comprise details of sports pitches, sports pavilion, allotments, car parking and play areas; along with associated landscaping, highways and drainage infrastructure. Details of access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale to be considered…”
Officer report
Earlier planning decisions
The wider site already had permission for up to 1,500 homes and supporting infrastructure, with later amendments and approvals affecting its layout and phases.
“RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY O/2014/2179 Hybrid Planning Application for Part 1 - Application for OUTLINE PERMISSION (reserving matters of (a) access; (b) appearance; (c) landscaping; (d) layout; and (e) scale) FOR: Demolition of all existing buildings on site; up to 1,500 new dwellings (Use Class C3); up to 12,000 sqm of employment floorspace (Use Class B2); a Neighbourhood Centre with up to 1,900sqm of non-residential floorspace (Use Classes A1/A2/A3/A4/A5 and D1); a new…”
“230923 Application for a Non-Material Amendment to Outline Planning Permission O/2014/2179 (as varied by Minor Material Amendment Planning Permission 181194 issued pursuant to Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended)) relating to Land at Hogwood Farm, Sheerlands Road, Finchampstead, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 4QY. The proposed amendments relate to the approved parameter plans and phasing strategy detailed under Conditions 1 and 3. Approved 11/04/2024”
Officer report
What officers recommended
Officers recommended approval subject to conditions, informatives, legal agreements and a later viability review of affordable housing potential.
“APPROVAL subject to conditions and informatives outlined in Appendix 1 of this report and the completion of a section 106 legal agreement between the Council and the applicant for the following Heads of Terms:”
“Strategic Access Management and Maintenance (SAMM) payment of £51,195 to the council for the Thames Basin Heath SPA prior to the occupation of the first dwelling to be occupied within the Full Development; • SANG (non-financial, utilising capacity reserved by the developer within the existing Finchwood Park SANG); • A late stage review of the financial viability of the scheme prior the sale of the 36 dwelling within the Full Development such review to be by an independent…”
Officer report
What consultees said
Highways, drainage, ecology, heritage and several other consultees raised no objection, generally subject to conditions; affordable housing was not policy compliant.
“CONSULTATION RESPONSES (242653 & 242696) WBC Highways WBC Drainage No objection subject to conditions No objection subject to condition WBC Landscape & Trees No objection subject to conditions WBC Environmental Health No objection subject to conditions WBC Rights of Way No objection subject to conditions WBC Affordable Housing Not policy compliant WBC Ecology No objection WBC Sustainability No objection subject to conditions WBC Built Heritage No objection WBC Education No…”
Officer report
The committee’s decision
The committee approved application 242653 subject to conditions, informatives and completion of the specified section 106 legal agreement.
“242653: 1) application 242653 be approved subject to conditions and informatives outlined in Appendix 1 of this report and the completion of a section 106 legal agreement between the Council and the applicant for the following Heads of Terms:”
“Administrative o Payment of the Council’s Professional and legal costs, whether or not the agreement completes; o Payment of the Council’s reasonable fees in monitoring and implementing the S106, payable at £538 per planning obligation trigger subject to indexation using the BCIS (Building Cost Information Service) index; payable on completion of the deed; and a commitment to cover the Council’s additional costs; o All payments of fees or contributions to be indexed from the…”
Minutes
Sources
- Wokingham Planning Committee minutes, 9 July 2025
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of Wokingham's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
Committee decisions and nationwide planning applications, in one API
The Plota API returns planning applications from every council we cover, each with its decision, whether a committee or officers decided it, and the committee date. Build it into your own tools.
See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- Wokingham Planning Committee
- Council
- Wokingham
- Date
- Wednesday 9 July 2025
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Approved
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- Wokingham committee decisions →
This committee's year
6 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.