Plans including 20 affordable homes rejected

The plans for 49 properties included 20 affordable homes ranging from one-beds to four-beds

Plans for a development on unused land, which included 20 affordable homes, have been rejected after an appeal by the developer.

The 49 properties were proposed by Maverick Properties on Heathlands Road just outside Wokingham, Berkshire.

A bill to reform planning is making its way through parliament and the government-appointed inspector David Prentis acknowledged the benefits of affordable housing. But he said the scheme was not sustainable, would impact bats and trees, was in conflict with local policy and would harm the area's character.

Local councillors welcomed the decision as a "great result" while Colony Architects said it was "a missed opportunity for an excellent housing scheme".

Maverick Properties submitted plans to build the homes on unused land to the rear of St Sebastian's Church, next to Crowthorne and Crown Wood Cricket Club and Crowthorne Tennis Club.

The project would have included 20 affordable homes consisting of four four-bed homes, six three-bed, eight two-bed and two one-bed properties.

As part of new government targets, Wokingham is expected to facilitate the creation of about 1,300 homes a year and in 2024 the borough council published its local plan which outlined the requirement for thousands of new homes.

But its planning department rejected this application because the site was not within its Local Plan.

Maverick Properties attempted to get the decision overturned at an appeal but while the inspector did acknowledge the benefits of affordable housing, he judged that "the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits".

Welcoming the news, Wokingham councillor Marc Brunel-Walker said: "This is a great result and a fantastic community effort by residents, the parish councillors and borough councillors."

Colony Architects, instructed by Maverick Properties to draw up the plans, described the reasons for objection as "minor in comparison with the benefits that would have been brought to the area".

The company believes a similar proposal will be submitted in the future.

"It is disappointing that these things take so much time in the planning process, often many years to bring to a decision, which only serves to exacerbate the problem of a shortage in housing supply," the architects added.

Maverick Properties has been approached for comment.