A conversation with a local landowner, who shall remain nameless, indicates that the 4,500 houses openly planned for Hall Farm are just the beginning of a much bigger, less public plan. Other landowners are currently being induced to part with land in the Arborfield area for what can only be described as eye watering sums of money. The developer, also nameless at this point in time, indicated that in reality 15,000 houses are what they are planning longer term. Just let that sink in for a minute. Arborfield Cross, at a little over 3,000 people, would be completely swamped.
Now look again at the weasel words being spouted by Wokingham Borough Council:
"A new garden village south of the M4 between Shinfield, Arborfield and Sindlesham and additional housing at our South Wokingham major development would allow us to provide new homes by allocating fewer sites overall, protecting the vast majority of the borough".
So Arborfield and Newland is to be sacrificed so that the rest of the Borough can continue to enjoy their fresh air, unclogged roads and green fields? We know the Grazeley SDL was going to be 15,000 houses. Hall Farm is being touted as the "viable alternative". 15,000 houses are what will be needed to replace Grazeley.
Another figure I have heard mentioned by local politicians is the money to be made from this deal by the single biggest landowner; University of Reading. £400 Million. That puts it all in perspective. Our Village, currently on offer to the highest bidder, bids starting at £400,000,000.
Now where's my cheque book?
