Planning application submitted for Loddon Valley Garden Village

Wokingham Borough Council has received the first planning application for Loddon Valley Garden Village — a major new development identified in the borough’s draft Local Plan for around 3,930 new homes. 

The application includes proposals for up to 2,800 homes, plus schools, community facilities, retail and employment spaces, a large new country park, leisure facilities, green spaces, and new infrastructure such as bridges and access roads. 

The application, submitted by the University of Reading, is the first of several expected for the site. Two further planning applications, due to be submitted by Gleeson Land and Hatch Farm, are expected in November and early next year.

The application will be open to public consultation and will be assessed through the usual planning process.

Summary of the planning application

The initial planning application includes:

• Up to 2,800 new homes, including 100 custom and self-build plots
• Two primary schools and one secondary school
• A main centre and a smaller local hub with shops, places to work and other local facilities
• A sports centre, health facilities, and other local facilities
• Space for gypsy and traveller families, a new cemetery and an electricity substation
• A large new country park and more than 58 hectares of green space for walking, nature and recreation
• Plans to improve local wildlife and nature, aiming for a 20 per cent increase in biodiversity
• Demolition of some existing buildings and construction of new roads, bridges over the M4 and River Loddon, and new walking and cycling routes

Planning context

The site is proposed for allocation under Policy SS13 of the emerging Local Plan Update, which is currently undergoing examination by the Planning Inspectorate. The application will be considered in parallel with this process.

The draft Local Plan includes an overall plan for how the site could be developed. In addition, the council is developing a design guide to help shape how the site will look and feel.  

Consultation and next steps

The consultation on the planning application opened today (4 November) and will run for an extended period until 16 January 2026. Members of the public, stakeholders and interested parties will be able to view the application documents and submit comments via the council’s planning portal. The planning application reference is 252498.

Due to the scale and complexity of the proposal, the application is expected to be determined in the latter part of 2026.

Cllr Martin Alder, executive member for planning and enforcement, said: “We’ve now received the first of a number of planning applications for the proposed Loddon Valley Garden Village. This marks the start of the public consultation on the first of these applications, and we encourage anyone with an interest in the proposal to take a look at the plans and share their views. All feedback will be considered as part of the decision-making process.”