Thames Valley Flood Scheme February 24 Update

8 March 2024

The Environment Agency has issued their February 2024 Update for the scheme and a useful What is the Thames Valley Flood Scheme? video.

Clayfield Copse

16 February 2024

Clayfield Copse is a delightful small wood on the northern edge of Caversham Park Village. The Friends of Clayfield Copse have produced a self-guided walk through the copse, to help you identify the Trees Along the Ride.  

2024 Spring Events

Air Quality Action Plan

15 January 2024

The Council's public consultation into their Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) ended on  17 January 2024, and CADRA Responded to it. The AQAP sets out how RBC intends to improve air quality in Reading.

Extension of Chilterns AONB

17 August 2022

Natural England are conducting a boundary review of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). They have recently published a paper of Frequently Asked Questions, to explain what AONBs are and the process for reviewing the existing boundaries, with specific reference to  the Chilterns.

GLOBE, who are having discussions with and seeking the support of Matt Roda MP are keen to ensure, as is CADRA, that vulnerable local sites in SODC, that border Caversham and Emmer Green, are included in an extended AONB. On the  west side of Caversham Heights the AONB boundary is the SODC and RBC boundary, whilst in other parts it is only a few hundred metres from the Council boundary.

The review includes consultation with statutory bodies, key stakeholders and the public. Natural England don't expect a submission to the Defra Secretary of State before October 2024. They do not know how long it will take for the Secretary of State to make a decision or whether there will be a public enquiry.

Council Grey Bins Explanation

1 March 2022

We are grateful to the Lead Councillor for Neighbourhoods & Communities, who has provided a very useful explanation of the reasoning behind waste bin collection, and to Mark Heaps (WADRA) for his help.

What we do

CADRA recognises how important open spaces, tree cover and footpaths are. That poor air quality, flooding and climate change affects our area. We monitor and comment on local schemes and participate where appropriate. 

Air Quality

There has long been concern about the poor air quality in central Caversham. The Council monitors air pollution across the Borough, in Caversham at either end of Prospect Street and in George Street near the Gosbrook Road junction.

The Council issued their Draft Air Quality Action Plan in December 2024. A public consultation closed in January 2024 and CADRA Responded.  For more information visit RBC's Climate and Pollution pages. 

A nitrogen dioxide test tube installed by Caversham GLOBE at the Church Road/St Anne’s Road junction for two weeks in December 2017 registered 56.2 µg/m3 of nitrogen dioxide, which exceeds the legal annual mean limit of 40µg/m3. In Mar 18, CADRA funded four more test tubes, which GLOBE installed at busy junctions in central Caversham. In Jul 18, GLOBE did the tests again and the results in micrograms were:

Location Jul-18 Mar-18

Dec-18

59 Church Street, RG4 8AX (Waitrose Roundabout) 41 41  
14 Church Street, RG4 8AR (Priory Avenue Junction) 49 47  
Peppard Rd, Prospect St Junction (Prince of Wales Pub) 71 51  
Church Rd, St Anne's Road Junction (Griffin Pub) 50 57 56

RBC has four automatic monitoring stations which measure the levels of different pollutants, in real time, across the borough; one is located near the roundabout on the south side of Caversham Road.

The Council also operate a non-automatic network of passive diffusion tubes looking at nitrogen dioxide levels (NO2). There are a number in Caversham along: Church St, Church Rd, Prospect St and Gosbrook Rd.

Reading Climate Action Network

Reading Climate Action Network (https://readingcan.org.uk/) was set up by Reading Borough Council, University of Reading, and other local groups and businesses to co-ordinate the town's response to the climate emergency.

Reading Borough Council

Parks

Reading Borough Council provides information on all open spaces under their jurisdiction and any plans for change at Parks

Allotment Availability

To find out about the availability of allotment sites and plots visit Allotments

Caversham Court Gardens

In May 2006 the Heritage Lottery Fund approved funding to support the restoration of Caversham Court Gardens. Much of this funding was used to restore the 17th and 19th century features of the garden, including the gazebo and its causeway, the crinkle-crankle retaining wall, and the ancient yew family and hedge.

Some historic features that had been removed over the years have been replaced, like the ornamental Pugin style gateway. The planting has also been restored to recreate the intimacy of the private garden with its flower borders and riverside walk.

Archaeological excavations were carried out following the uncovering of remnants of the old glasshouse. The foundations of an earlier and later glasshouse have been discovered, together with what appears to be an ornamental pond, a water storage tank, old pipework, the flue of a boiler and internal paths.

Further information about the gardens can be found on the: Friends of CCG

The Tea Kiosk situated in Caversham Court Gardens, is run by five local charities and is normally open from the 1st April to 31st October each year.

Trees

Trees are such an important part of our environment and we are fortunate in Caversham, where we have so many, including some fine specimens. The Reading Tree Wardens are a team of volunteers, who encourage local community awareness of their trees and the care of them. They have produced maps of tree-walks around Reading, including this one for Caversham.

Rights of Way and Footpaths

In September 2021, RBC consulted residents about local rights of way. This was CADRA's Response

Changes in local Rights of Way have been charted by the local Local Access Forum

Click here to view a presentation from 2011

Thameside Parks

Reading is one of a very few large Thameside towns with a continuous ribbon of green space, almost entirely free of development, open to the public and with little that is privately owned.  

Reading Borough Council's Thames Parks Vision Statement written in 2004 is still relevant today. It is a strategy for maintaining and improving this precious public resource, so that it may continue to be enjoyed by as many and as wide a range of people as possible.

Environment Agency (EA)

The Environment Agency  deals with all aspects of flooding and building on flood plains. It also deals with the effect of major developments on the environment. Their Thames Valley Flood Scheme pages explain the scheme and have all the latest news.

For a list of ways to contact the Environment Agency follow this link: EA Contacts

EA Flood Risk Aleviation Scheme History

In 2018, the Environment Agency (EA) began a review of how to aleviate the risks of flooding in Caversham and Reading properties, close to the Thames. 

Local Residents and community groups were consulted throughout the review, including CADRA. We met with the EA and commented. In February 2020, the EA proposed an aleviation  scheme, which CADRA also commented on. The EA's Information Page may also be of interest. This diagram was the EA proposed scheme.

In Deccember 2021, they concluded their review and issued a Statement, saying that in view of the increase in costs and a reduction in the economic benefits, the proposed scheme would not attract government funding and will not be progressed, however a number of steps will be taken to increase flood resilience. In July 2022 they published a report, explaining the reasons for their decision and more detailed information about their investigations.

Mapledurham Pavilion & Playing Fields

The long awaited refurbishment of the Mapledurham Playing Fields Pavilion, off the Upper Woodcote Road, finally reopened in late 2021, after delays caused by the Covid pandemic. The pavilion includes a community hall and sports changing facilities. The new Heights Primary School, which is next to it, opened in September 2021. 

Planning permission (130613) for a refurbishment was granted in July 2013. This was delayed as a result of the negotiations surrounding the building the Heights Primary School. Subsequently the Education and Skills Funding Authority provided funds for a more extensive refurbishment of the pavilion and also for improving the sports and recreation facilities on the Mapledurham Playing Fields. 

Because of safety concerns, the Pavilion was closed to the public in January 2016 and a new planning application (191677) for the pavilion was granted in December 2019. Work began on the playing fields in 2019 and on the pavilion in early 2020. Work on the pavilion was halted for covid-19 but restarted in early May with revised working practices.

The Warren and District Residents Association led several fundraising projects for the pavilion and Festival Republic made a £50k contribution.

King's Meadow Baths

Thames Lido Opens

Following a long and successful campaign by the Kings Meadow Baths Campaign team to save this important local landmark, working alongside Reading Borough Council, the sensitively and imaginitively restored baths reopened as  Thames Lido in October 2017. 

The Baths

The Women's Outdoor Swimming Pool was built in 1902. The ironwork was made by Allan & Kidgell at their Caversham Bridge Engineering Works.

The pleasure bathing pool was built to allow Edwardian women to bathe in privacy. It was originally fed from the Thames though it was converted to main supply in the 1950s. It is a rare and fine example of a complete Edwardian Lido.

The Background

Following the Grade II listing of the baths in 2004, the Council sought a viable future for the building. A set of planning principles for both the baths and the adjacent Lock Island was formally agreed in 2006 after a public consultation.  Working with the Environment Agency, tenders were invited. Two proposals were considered. One was a commercial proposal for a hotel, cafes and offices and would have converted the baths into a hotel spa. A proposed bridge over the meadow to a car park caused widespread concern. The other was from the King's Meadow Campaign who had long been seeking to restore and re-open the baths.

After the commercial tender withdrew the opportunity of public access to the baths, the Council gave the King's Meadow Campaign a limited period to raise funds. That period was extended in October 2011 and the Campaign was warmly encouraged to continue their work.

In September 2013, Reading Borough Council voted to give the management team from Bristol Lido the opportunity to develop the site and reopen the pool. The Campaign Team stood down in July 2017,when the restoration was nearing completion.