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Dismissed3 June 20253354607

Land East of Hayes Drive and North of Church Lane, Three Mile Cross, Reading, Berkshire

Planning appeal 3354607 at Land East of Hayes Drive and North of Church Lane, Three Mile Cross, Reading, Berkshire (Wokingham Borough Council) was dismissed on 3 June 2025 by Inspector Watson S, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development upon the character and appearance of the countryside.

outline application for the proposed erection of up to 148 dwellings together with associated infrastructure including public open space, with access only to be considered

Authority
Wokingham Borough Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Inquiry
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Watson S

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The effect of the development upon the character and appearance of the countryside
  • The effect upon surface drainage
  • The safety and wellbeing of future residents of the proposed development, and the wider public, with regard to the proximity of the Atomic Weapons Establishment site at Burghfield (AWE(B))
  • The future capability and capacity of AWE(B) to operate effectively

What decided it

The unacceptable risk to the future capability and capacity of AWE(B) to operate effectively, given its critical importance to national security, was found to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme.

Very significant weight to housing and affordable housing delivery, plus smaller benefits, was weighed against very substantial weight attached to risk to AWE(B)'s operational capability, substantial weight to risk to residents' safety and wellbeing, significant weight to countryside harm, and great weight to heritage harm; the adverse impacts were found to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, so the balance tipped against the proposal.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
CS Policy CP1CS Policy CP3CS Policy CP11CS Policy CP19MDD Policy CC02MDD Policy CC03MDD Policy CC10MDD Policy TB04MDD Policy TB21MDD Policy TB24SNP Policy 8Saved Policy NRM6
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 49Paragraph 57Paragraph 58Paragraph 102Paragraph 181Paragraph 182Paragraph 187Paragraph 200Paragraph 212Paragraph 215Paragraph 236
Judgments
Together against Sizewell C Limited v Secretary of State [2023] EWHC 1526; West Berkshire DC v SSCLG 2016 EWCA Civ 441; Vistry v SoS [2024] EWHC 2088; (1) Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd (2) Hallam Land Management Ltd (3) Wilson Enterprises Ltd v West Berkshire District Council and others [2021] EWHC 289 (Admin)

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in Wokingham Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

  1. Allowed8 June 20263371069
    Land North of Reading Road, Arborfield, RG2 9HN
  2. Notice upheld10 March 20263374730
    Land at Gravelley Bridge Farm, Grazeley Green Road, Grazeley, Reading, RG7 1LG
  3. Allowed26 November 20253363174
    178 Bearwood Road, Barkham, Wokingham, RG41 4SH
  4. Dismissed10 November 20253364304
    Land Between Lodge Road And Tape Lane RG10 0EG, Hurst , Wokingham , RG10 0EG
  5. Allowed12 August 20253350981
    Front Plot At Shinfield Court, Church Lane, Three Mile Cross, RG7 1HB

The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.