THE final plans for the controversial Elms Field site in the heart of Wokingham have been submitted, as the council takes it next steps in the town's multi-million pound regeneration. 

A planning application for the parkland in the centre of Wokingham, off Elms Road, which will include a new three screen boutique cinema, a 95-bed Premier Inn Hotel, a medium-sized foodstore and a number of residential homes, has been handed to borough planning chiefs. 

The £42.9 million development will centre around a park, following feedback from public consultations, after townsfolk expressed fears to Wokingham Borough Council that an integral vast green space would disappear. 

Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, just hours before the planning application was put to planning officers, Cllr Philip Mirfin, executive member for regeneration and communities, said: "We've been working hard on the scheme's designs incorporating feedback from local residents and businesses and we hope they are pleased with our application.

"We've also been having conversations with potential tenants interested in coming to the town centre and incorporated their views into our proposals.

"I'm really pleased to submit our application, it's another step forward for our ambitious plans.

"We're proposing to keep far more of the existing matures trees and reduce the overall scale of development.

"We've also designed the areas around the new retail area to ensure it could support thing like larger or new markets, outdoor seating for cafes and restaurants and spaces for relaxing and meeting friends."

The scheme will include 126 homes, scaled down from the original 156 proposed, 4,279m of retail space, 1.8 hectares of green space and 308 parking spaces, some of which are new and some of which are existing.

A total of 200 will be lost from the Paddocks, as well as 96 council staff spaces in Wellington Road. 

The plans also include a £4.8 million community infrastructure levy of which Cllr Mirfin confirmed the town council are entitled to 15 per cent, which they would consider using to boost Market Place. 

The Incredible Edible project would have to relocate to a new home as it is in the middle of the new proposed play area. 

Longstanding Save Elms Field campaigner, Lib Dem councillor Prue Bray, "This plan does save more green space than last time so if we hadn't got that far before, it could have been built on.

"It is better than the original application but at a time when we need affordable housing not a single one is, which is appalling given that it is the council doing it themselves.

"They are still getting rid of a lot of the Paddocks car park which is full most of the time and there is no plan to do anything to make the Elms Road car park more acceptable. The 89 spaces with the food store is significant and better than underground which they were proposing before but is it enough? We will be losing some spaces in Rose Street because they're doing up Peach Street. 

"I am happy that the hotel has swivelled round and doesn't dominate Denmark Street but it is a great shame that at the end of that road will be built on, as well as the large swathe of Elms Field. 

"My concern is that they are moving the town centre away from the town centre and they have missed so many opportunities, they haven't thought enough about how we cater for the future, in terms of collection points with internet shopping.

"The changes that have been made have made a difference but perhaps not enough." 

Construction of the development would take around 30 months, with 151 new construction jobs generated and 283 permanent roles. 

To view the planning application visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-application/search-planning-applications and search 153125.