Route option appraisal

How we chose the route for the road

Our Local Plan identified several major development locations across the borough, plus strategic transport improvements to support them.

Policy CP21 and Appendix 7 specifically identified a new road for South Wokingham.

With about 2,500 new homes set to be provided at South Wokingham, we examined the potential route options for a link road to manage the impact of the increase in traffic.

We considered 3 possible routes - northern, central and southern - and recommended the central route.

This followed public consultation in early 2014 which received just over 300 responses and showed a clear preference (81 percent) for the central route.

Our Executive approved the decision, subject to minor refinements, in late 2014.

Refining the route and moving forward

Since then, we’ve undertaken surveys and developed an outline route to minimise how much land was needed, maximise the land available for development and leave space for measures to offset any flood risk.

In 2015, our Executive approved plans for the Eastern Gateway section to be progressed ahead of the rest of the project. This included a new bridge over the railway at Montague Park, replacing the old level crossing near Clay Lane on Waterloo Road.

Building Eastern Gateway in advance had several benefits:

Closing the Clay Lane level crossing and building the new bridge improved safety for anyone crossing the railway
It helped unlock some land for development
It created a new road link on William Heelas Way, with shared footway and cycleway, between London Road and Waterloo Road

Before the planning application for the next phase of the road was submitted, drop-in exhibitions took place in spring 2019 and residents were invited to make comments.

More information is available in the following documents:

Route option appraisal

How we chose the route for the road

Refining the route and moving forward

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