Planning – The Whitegates Experience

ACER Meets New Executive Member for Planning and Enforcement

Following correspondence with WBC Executive Member for Planning and Enforcement over inconsistent decisions by Planning Officers, ACER suggested a meeting with Councillor Lindsay Ferris, the recently appointed Executive Member for Planning and Enforcement, to review the wider experience of Planning and Enforcement in Whitegates.  This suggestion was accepted and took place on 28th September 2022. Although ACER’s presentation was based on the February 2021 presentation made to Cllr Wayne Smith, the previous Executive Member, it had been updated and  included a definitive list of Actions. The meeting was reported in detail to residents at the Autumn Social meeting on the 4^th October at the Earley Home Guard Social Club.

Although the meeting had been deliberately scheduled by Cllr Ferris to include a new senior Planning Officer and the Leader of the Council, Clive Jones, in the event, neither were able to attend due to urgent business.

Copies of extracts from Council Policies and Planning Guidance were handed out for reference at the meeting.  These included key sections relating to the retention of the character of the area and consideration of neighbouring land users as well as retention of greenery. It was pointed out that these were reassuring statements. 

Photographs of streets retaining the original characteristics of Whitegates were shown, which, happily coincided with recent Government statements on beauty of design and tree lined streets.

Photographs of streets which had been ‘developed’ during the period of the current WBC rules and guidelines were then displayed, which showed a stark contrast due to lack of trees and greenery.

Examples of deviations from approved plans and sub-standard build quality were shown.

 The impact of parking was addressed, particularly when insufficient parking for residents was allowed under current WBC Parking guidance, particularly when the number of residents in an enlarged property increased.

ACER listed the issues that had arisen as a result over the last few years and presented a programme of actions which needed to be addressed in order to prevent further degradation and enhance Whitegates as a pleasant residential area. This programme of actions is listed below:-

1. Presumption Of Approval (A Government directive when Planning determine Applications) – to be limited by WBC Policies (e.g. CP3,- In Character and without detriment to adjoining land users)
2. Planning Notifications –

a) WBC Internal Process to be understood to rapidly identify reasons for lack of planning notification (when neighbours do not receive notification of a planning application)

 b) Notification area to be expanded (to include all properties which are able to see the property which has submitted a Planning Application)

3. Focus on Compliance with CP3 and Borough Design Guide – Refresher brief for Officers suggested.
4. Focus on retention of soft landscaping
5. Reintroduction of trees  in streets, e.g. on WBC owned verges.
6. Applicants referred to relevant Planning Rules as part of WBC Acknowledgement ( to help Applicants submit plans which comply with WBC rules and guidance)
7. WBC Planning Committee to visit locations  in order that contentious Applications which come up for review by the WBC Planning Committee are seen at first hand  to understand the plans in their local context in relation to neighbours and the local area.
8. Enforcement to halt deviations to approved plans pending resolution.  When Developers enlarge and alter the property, regardless of the affect on neighbours, work is allowed to continue despite clearly not being within the scope of approved plans.
9. Parking Standards to be made realistic for expanded homes and HMO’s (rented houses of multiple occupation)