One of the top councillors at Wokingham Borough Council has stated why farmland in Finchampstead could have 270 homes built on it.

Rooks Nest Farm, located off Barkham Ride on the outskirts of Finchampstead is owned by the council and has been proposed as a place for housing development in the Wokingham Local Plan update.

But the proposal for the 270 homes is being vigorously opposed by a group of residents who have set up the Saves Rooks Nest campaign.

A petition calling for the council to remove Rooks Nest Farm as land allocated for development in the local plan has received 1,169 signatures on the website Change.org.

Yet the farm could still be built on because it has been identified as a site for housing development in the Local Plan update, which the council is devising to lay out where new developments should be in the borough in order to meet housebuilding targets set by the national government.

READ MORE: Wokingham leader calls for planning rules which could see thousands of homes built in the area to be changed

Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for planning Wayne Smith explained that the council wants a majority of new homes to be built in the so-called ‘Hall Farm / Loddon Valley’ major development – a location where 2,200 homes could be built by 2037/38.

However, he argued more sites need to be allocated for development so that the borough can meet its housing targets.

Cllr Smith (Conservative, Hurst), explained: “We are required to assess all land promoted for development as part of the local plan process.

“We have made initial assessments of all submitted sites.

“Having reviewed all of the options available to the council, the Local Plan Update Revised Growth Strategy Consultation identified the area of Hall Farm / Loddon Valley as the main new area to meet development needs.

“However, to meet our government housing requirement, additional land is needed.

“Having considered the opportunities and constraints of the submitted site at Rooks Nest Farm (and the adjacent 24 Barkham Ride), our initial assessment is that it is potentially suitable for development with an indicative capacity of 270 dwellings.

“The land is proposed as one of a number of allocations within the Local Plan Update Revised Growth Strategy Consultation.”

READ MORE: Council leader calls for Wokingham Borough housebuilding targets to be reduced

All the sites in Wokingham Borough identified for housing development were revealed in the local plan update last November, which be seen in a council produced map here.

Cllr Smith added that people have been able to give their views about the plan update as part of a consultation, which ended on Monday, January 24.

Now the consultation has ended, the council’s planning department will consider any adjustments to the Local Plan and reveal them at a later date.

Cllr Smith said: “We will review all comments made by residents in our final assessments.”