16 July 2018
CADRA’s Autumn Meeting is on Tuesday 6th November, 7.45 pm at Thameside School. It will include a talk on ‘The Changing Thames’ from Terry Marsh, Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford.
14 July 2018
Reading Borough Council's Policy Committee meeting on Mon. 16th July will be discussing a new transport plan, the borough-wide parking plan and an air quality strategy. This is a link to the report the committee will discuss: Committee transport report. The details of all the agenda items for the Policy meeting are here: Policy Committee. There are items that may be of interest to members, including library services.
11 July 2018
Reading Borough Council is now consulting on an updated St Peters Conservation Area Appraisal that includes a proposed extension to the boundary of the Conservation Area until 14 September 2018.
The Council is required to periodically review the town’s conservation areas and their associated appraisals, in order to ensure appropriate protection of areas of special architectural or historic interest. St Peters Conservation Area was formally designated in 1988 and an appraisal published in 2009. The appraisal has now been reviewed by the local community, led by CADRA, with assistance from the Reading Conservation Area Advisory Committee, Historic England and Reading Borough Council. As a result of this review and update of the appraisal, the Council is proposing an extension to the existing Conservation Area (Proposed boundary map).
We are seeking comments over the next nine weeks during a period of public consultation. The full updated St Peters Conservation Area Appraisal is on the Council’s website at: St Peters Consultation. Copies are also available for viewing at the Caversham Library (during normal opening hours). Supporting documents, such as detailed plans showing the proposed boundary and an information sheet are also available online and at the library.
We welcome any comments that you have. Please provide written responses to the consultation by midnight on Friday 14th September 2018. Responses should be sent to: planningpolicy@reading.gov.uk or Planning Policy Team, Reading Borough Council, Civic Offices, Bridge Street, RG1 2LU.
The CADRA and Reading Conservation Area Advisory Committee are hosting a stand at the Caversham Church Fete at Caversham Court Gardens on Saturday 14th July beginning at 1 p.m. Members will be available at the Fete to discuss the proposed boundary extension to the conservation area and the updated St Peters Conservation Area Appraisal.
Our website has more information and the background to the appraisal.
11 July 2018
CADRA maintains a summary of the significant local planning applications and appeals which is updated each month. Each application listed provides a direct link the RBC website where plans can be seen and comments sent on line. Links to the Planning Inspectorate show progress on appeals. Applications in South Oxfordshire which are significant and close to the border with Reading are also listed.
1 July 2018
The RBC Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport meeting on 2nd July will be discussing proposals to introduce kerbside food waste collections.
The proposal is part of the Re3 waste action plan report
Strategic Environment Planning and Transport Committee meeting 2nd Jul agenda
The committee will also consider the draft St Peters Conservation Area Community-led Appraisal, which CADRA has had a major role in.
28 June 2018
These are links to the webcast and the papers for the planning applications meeting held on the Wed. 27th. Jun.
27 June 2018
The Environment Agency have been investigating options to reduce flood risk from the Thames in Lower Caversham and north Reading. They are inviting public comment via a Consultation, and as part of this they are holding two public drop-in sessions:
Tuesday 3 July from 2.30pm to 7pm at Greyfriars Hall, Friar St, Reading RG1 1EH
Wednesday 4 July from 2.30pm to 7pm at The Weller Centre, 110 Amersham Rd, Reading RG4 5NA
The email for the consultation is reading&cavershamscheme@environment-agency.gov.uk
19 June 2018
Following the results of the air quality tests in March, carried out by Caversham Globe in conjunction with CADRA, the following motion, moved by Councillor Grashoff, will be debated at the full RBC Council meeting on the 26th Jun (See full agenda):
"The Council notes with concern that in March 2018 Caversham Globe carried out professionally analysed Nitrogen Dioxide tests over a 2 week period on busy roads and junctions in Caversham and found that the results were well above the European Union's legal average annual limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre"
The results of the March tests are at: Air Quality
If the motion is passed, the Council will install two diffusion tubes on the worst affected junctions North of the river, by the Prince of Wales Pub & the Griffin Pub, to collect annual data.
19 June 2018
More than 200 cast historic iron lamp columns in Reading will be refurbished and retained following a recent survey of historic lamp posts across the borough. RBC Council News
19 June 2018
Cow Lane will be closed to all road users over the weekend of June 30th, after which two-way traffic-light controlled flow under the bridge is re-introduced, on Monday 2nd July. The traffic-lights will stay until early next year, when all the work is expected to be complete. RBC Council News
13 June 2018
The agenda and webcast for the Reading Borough Council's Traffic Management Sub-Committee meeting on Wed. 13th June.
23 May 2018
Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have announced that the Priory Avenue GP surgery in Caversham will close on the 30th June, with 6,000 people having to join a new surgery. The bulk of the people will be assigned to Balmore Park and Emmer Green. Meetings have been arranged by the CCG to explain and listen to people’s concerns. Patients who want to express a preference as to what surgery they would like to move to, must do so by the 8th June. For more information see the CCG announcement or the Healthwatch Reading news item.
5 May 2018
The Gladman Inquiry opened Tuesday 1 May and heard evidence on landscape, transport and from interested parties including CADRA, who strongly objected to the development (Our statement). Paul Matthews did an excellent job as professional transport witness and prepared a very detailed statement .
The remainder of the inquiry was deferred until August 29th. This is because a statement of South Oxfordshire Council's (SODC) housing land supply for 5.4 years was only available shortly before the inquiry. A significant part of Gladman's case was the absence of a 5.4 year land supply, which SODC can now demonstrate.
All remaining planning issues are therefore postponed. We expect that there will be a further opportunity for interested parties to register to speak when the inquiry reconvenes. In the meantime further financial contributions to the CAGE appeal would be very helpful. CAGE are the lead public campaign group and more information can be found at the CAGE facebook and CAGE website pages.
The SODC Statement of Case submitted before their latest 5.4 year housing plan.
CADRA's objections to this proposal were submitted to the inquiry: CADRA's objections. Reading Borough Council confirmed they will support South Oxfordshire District Council in resisting the appeal in the light of the inadequacy of infrastructure and services.
These are the details of the Gladman planning application submitted to SODC: P16/S3630/O
Although South Oxfordshire District Council had been expected to recommend refusal of this application, the planning officer finally recommended approval. Following substantial opposition from Parish Councils and individuals in South Oxfordshire, Caversham and Emmer Green, the Planning Committee decided to refuse the application. The developer, then Gladman submitted an appeal.
17 April 2018
The CADRA AGM took place on Tuesday 17 April 2018 at 7.30pm in Thameside School Hall. 
Following the brief formal business, the speaker was Sue Holden, Chief Officer of the Chilterns Conservation Board for the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Chilterns lie on Caversham’s doorstep: their woodland, hills, views, chalk streams and history provide a huge recreational asset for all of us, as well as a rich and diverse habitat. But such a lovely area so close to London is under huge development pressure, not only from housing but from big infrastructure projects like HS2.
The Chairman's Report 2017-2018
11 April 2018
South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) have released the latest version of their Local Plan, for the period to 2033. In March full Council met to consider the Cabinet recommendation for the Local Plan and rejected it. The Local Plan will now go back to Cabinet and Council for further consideration. More details, including the meeting dates, to follow. SODC Local Plan 2033
The Emerging Local Plan 2011-2033 gives more information about these plans and on Previous Local Plan Consultations.
