An application for prior approval to change the use of the first and second floors of Guildgate House in Crowthorne High Street has been submitted by developers TA Fisher Commercial Ltd.

It bids to change the two floors from vacant offices to 16 one-bedroom studio apartments, but it would not affect the ground floor of the building, which comprises shops.

The application, which will be put forward to Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee tomorrow evening (Thursday), has received 12 objections surrounding traffic issues as well as noise pollution.

However, the application has been recommended to be withheld as it falls short of the council’s parking standard – the allocation of 17 spaces not meeting the requirement of 16 spaces for residents and three visitor spaces.

Despite more homes being planned for the village, Janet Rogers from neighbourhood group Crowthorne Village Action Group (CVAG), said the group agreed with the plan in principle as they preferred homes to be allocated to sites like those than to Greenbelt land.

She said: “Our view has always been to encourage bringing development into unused or empty buildings such as the flats at Guildgate House. This is always preferable to using ‘green’ land as they prove to be more sustainable solutions.” Still concerned with housing developments, CVAG held a meeting about future developments last week.

Held at the Morgan Centre last Wednesday, more than 60 residents who attended were given the chance to discuss their opinions on the impending housing developments in the area. Members of the group pointed out that the village, which currently has about 6,000 homes, will see an influx of about 1,500 homes across three major sites – the TRL site, Broadmoor, and the Charities Woodland site in Hatch Ride.

The meeting also saw a presentation by Victoria Groves, from developer Bewley Homes, which is building homes on the Charities Woodland site.

John McNab, of CVAG, said the meeting was extremely useful for residents as it gave them the full impact of these developments, with concerns such as the erosion of the gap between Crowthorne, Wokingham and Bracknell, and the provision of education and healthcare.

He said: “Crowthorne is split between Bracknell Forest borough and Wokingham borough and this is the first time residents have been paid the courtesy of an explanation of the full impact these developments would have on their everyday lives and their village.”​