Questions remain over the arrival of a Sainsbury’s supermarket at a growing new village community in Berkshire.
Sainsbury’s announced its intentions to open a supermarket at the Arborfield Green last December.
The issue has been raised by councillor Rebecca Margetts (Conservative, Finchampstead South), who has petitioned Wokingham Borough Council calling for it to make developers Crest Nicholson build a supermarket and village centre.
Her petition on Change.org states: “Since 2016 residents of Arborfield Green have been promised a village centre. Residents were sold properties based on the promises of facilities to be provided.
“Crest Nicholson have repeatedly failed on this promise to provide a village centre.
“Development of the village centre should have begun after 1000 properties were built, this figure was surpassed in 2019 and there is no end in sight.
READ MORE: Crest Nicholson urged to fulfil Arborfield village centre promise
“Crest Nicholson committed to a final consultation in September 2022 and a planning application to be submitted by October 2022. Neither of which have happened.
“We are calling on Wokingham Borough council to stand up to developers and to hold Crest Nicholson to account and deliver the village centre without further delay.
“The council should not allow further planning applications from Crest Nicholson to be approved within the Borough until a formal application has been approved for the village centre and the spades are in the ground.”
Cllr Margetts heard the issue raised on the doorstep while supporting the unsucessful campaign of Conservative candidate George Evans in Barkham ward during canvassing on Friday, April 21.
Last month, a reserved matters plan, application reference 230872, was submitted to Wokingham Borough Council for the village centre.
As well as supermarket, the centre would also include a a pre-school, pedestrianised high street and a mixed-use community centre including cafe, associated community facilities and a day nursery.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the council to clarify the planning status of the centre, including the proposed Sainsbury’s.
Trevor Saunders, the assistant director of planning said: “The council has received a reserved matters planning application for the Arborfield Green district centre layout, which includes land for a supermarket.
“A separate reserved matters application, which would determine the appearance and layout of the supermarket building as well as the parking and landscaping, will need to be submitted by the supermarket operator.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson confirmed it is still planning to open a new store on the site and are continuing to work with Crest Nicholson to finalise the specifics of the scheme within the wider development.
The supermarket hopes to submit its detailed plan for the new store in the next few months.
READ MORE: Details of 73 homes at expanding Arborfield development approved
On its part, a Crest Nicholson spokesperson said: “Contract discussions for the commercial unit at Arborfield District Centre are ongoing and we remain committed to the delivery of Sainsbury’s which will be a fantastic addition to the community.
“Separately, we have submitted a planning application with Wokingham Borough Council which includes 200 homes, commercial space, a pre-school, public open space, café and community centre. It is anticipated the delivery of this full project will be approximately three years following approvals.”
The outline plan for Arborfield Green development for 2000 homes and a village centre, application O/2014/2280 was approved in April 2015.
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