Examination in Public
Stage 1 of the Examination in Public (EIP) has now completed. Planning Inspectors Thomas Hatfield and Mark Philpott will reconvene Hearing Sessions at 10am on 17th March 2026 within Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham RG40 1BN.
Guidance Notes for the forthcoming hearings have been prepared by the Inspectors. The Inspectors’ Matters, Issues and Questions provide the framework for any further written submissions you may wish to make and provide the foundation for discussions during the hearing sessions. The Hearing Programme sets out the schedule for the Hearings.
If you were a Stage 1 respondent, you have three options available to you in relation to this next stage of the Examination:
1. If you are content to rely on your original comments, do not intend to provide any further written comments or participate in the Stage 2 Hearings there is no need for you to do anything further.
2. If objections were raised within your consultation response to Matters relevant to the Stage 2 Hearings you are welcome to submit further comments in response to the questions the Inspectors have identified. The deadline for submission of Written Statements is 5pm on 3rd March 2026.
3. If the Matters identified are relevant to your consultation response and you wish to participate in the Hearing Sessions please let Ian Kemp know by 5pm on 17th February 2026. EMAIL: Ian Kemp ian@localplanservices.co.uk
Representors requesting to participate during the hearing sessions are also welcome to supply Written Statements should they wish to do so, in accordance with the guidance and deadline.
You can still comment on the planning application HERE, where you can also view all the planning documents.
Proposed M4 bridge
Below is a CGI video, created by friends of SOLVE Hall Farm: LOOMA. It takes the viewer from the roundabout on Meldreth Way and Lower Earley Way over the M4 and into the "Loddon Garden Village" site via the proposed new bridge over the M4. Since the video was produced the EIP clarified some of the proposals for the bridge, possibly reducing the width to save on costs for what will undoubtedly be a very expensive piece of infrastructure. We understand that the University of Reading along with the other developers for the Loddon Garden Village, are talking to Homes England about a possible grant or loan to help get the bridge built. In all probability the bridge will be paid for by the sale of houses, making delivery unlikely for many years to come. We believe that this bridge is essential for traffic mitigation and should be delivered as soon as possible. We will continue to argue for this at the EIP.
We also met with representatives from the University just before Christmas 2025 to put forward a case for creating more virtual "3 D" modelling to help explain how other parts of the site will look and work. We strongly believe that good relations with the wider community can be best served through transparency and clarity regarding exactly what is being proposed. A topographical map that takes account of relative heights of buildings and potential screening from trees (for example) would enable stakeholders to clearly judge the potential impact of say the proposed muti-storey car parks. Even better would be to incorporate traffic modelling data in the form of animations that a lay-person can easily understand. Without this kind of transparency there will always be a suspicion that obfuscation is being used to hide things from us. It is in the interests of the developers to do everything they can to get local residents fully "on board" with this development.
New Interactive Map
Also courtesy of our friends at Looma is a great interactive map that allows you to look at "before and after" the development by using a "split view". Reveal the underlying area or look at the proposed development by moving the divider left or right across the map. LINK TO MAP HERE.
Where to now?
Clearly the end is in sight for consultation on the proposed Loddon Garden Village (LGV) and we are now moving into a period of refinement and moderation of a live planning application. The Local Plan has now largely been approved and with it the 3,830 houses are almost certainly going to be built (albeit with some caveats and conditions still to be determined).
Therefore, some aspects of this website are now redundant and will be removed or changed to match the changed circumstances we find ourselves in.
Going forward I see "green4grow" as becoming more involved in the development of solutions to issues and problems that may yet still arise, such as the ongoing issue of traffic congestion in the area. There will be much to discuss regarding critical considerations such as financial viability, critical infrastructure delivery, stakeholder input, the strategic design code, heritage and environmental conservation and the phasing of the required construction work. This is a huge project and is planned to be many decades in its' implementation. We need to make sure the outcomes are as beneficial to our community as is possible.
With this in mind your contributions are still highly valued and warmly invited, please get in touch if you have any thoughts or concerns regarding the future development of what was once called Hall Farm, soon to be Loddon Garden Village.
Paul Stevens. 05/02/2026