The Planning Committee of Wokingham Council met on Wednesday 10 June 2026 and approved a proposal for a new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) resource base at St. Paul's Church of England Junior School. The committee also discussed two applications for new housing developments in Winnersh, which were approved subject to conditions.

St. Paul's Church of England Junior School SEND Resource Base

The committee granted conditional approval for a single-storey SEND resource base at St. Paul's Church of England Junior School, located on Oxford Road, Wokingham. This facility will cater for up to 16 pupils with autism spectrum disorders and will create six additional staff positions.

A key issue for the application was the loss of a portion of the school's playing field. Sports England objected to the proposal on these grounds, and the development conflicted with local plan policies designed to protect playing field land. However, the committee determined that the significant educational and community benefits of the SEND provision outweighed this conflict. The report presented to the committee noted that the remaining playing field would still be sufficient for school physical education and that the affected area did not form part of the borough's strategic pitch provision.

Due to Sports England's maintained objection, the decision to grant planning permission will be referred to the Secretary of State via the National Planning Casework Unit before any decision notice can be issued. The applicant has indicated they may withdraw the application if it is called in for determination by the Secretary of State.

During the discussion, Councillor Wayne Smith raised concerns about the fencing around the proposed site and whether the remaining playing field area would be accessible to all pupils. Officers clarified that fencing would be installed around the SEND unit itself, but the exact boundary was still to be finalised. Councillor Sam Akhtar supported the application, acknowledging the need for SEND provision, but also highlighted the precedent that the loss of playing fields could set. Councillor Catherine Glover questioned the flexibility of the remaining playing field space, and Councillor Rebecca Margetts sought clarification on accessibility for wheelchair users and the overall accessibility of the new building. Officers confirmed that the building would comply with building regulations for accessibility and that the site was relatively flat.

Concerns were also raised by Councillor Mike Smith regarding parking, with a parking survey presented to illustrate existing pressures. Officers explained that additional parking spaces were proposed and would be managed alongside the service access, and that a Parking Management Plan would be a condition of approval. The committee also discussed the implications for the council's SEND strategy if the application were withdrawn, with officers confirming that there was a wider programme of SEND provision delivery.

The committee ultimately voted unanimously to approve the application, subject to conditions and informatives, and the referral process to the Secretary of State.

Land East of Watmore Lane, Winnersh

The committee discussed and approved two related applications for reserved matters concerning the development of 229 homes on land east of Watmore Lane, Winnersh. Application 260224, for 111 dwellings, and application 260225, for 118 dwellings, were discussed together.

The applications were for the scale, layout, appearance, and landscaping of the development, pursuant to an outline planning permission. The development includes 40% affordable housing, which was noted positively by the committee.

Councillor Prue Bray, the ward member, spoke in objection, raising concerns about increased traffic, particularly the potential for the site to be used as a cut-through between Reading Road and Robin Hood Lane. She also highlighted the proximity of the first house to an existing property in Maidensfield.

Officers addressed concerns about traffic by explaining that traffic calming measures, including tabletops and a 20mph speed limit, would be introduced. They also noted that the outline permission had included a Grampian condition requiring a secondary access to be provided before the second phase of development could be completed. The committee agreed to add an informative to the decision notice highlighting potential traffic issues.

Both applications were approved subject to conditions and informatives, including those relating to amended conditions for the development and an informative regarding traffic measures.

Other Matters

The committee also received updates on an appeal decision at Land North of Reading Road, Arborfield, where an outline planning application for 111 dwellings was allowed following a public inquiry. Members were informed that officers were reviewing the decision's implications. An update on major appeal performance was also provided, indicating that the council remained well under the 10% threshold for appeal allowances.