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Wokingham District Council has approved
a modified plan for the Oracle Corporation to build a residential training centre
on the Sandford Farm site.
While H.V.S. is disappointed at this decision,
it may be the least worst development on a site which was always going to be under threat.
WDC has imposed a number of conditions aimed at minimising adverse effects
on the surrounding area.
The approved proposal breaches the Local Plan,
so it has to go to the Secretary of State who may call it in for examination.
Oracle had been in discussions with WDC planners for several months
seeking to meet local concerns, including those from the H.V.S.
Firstly, it will bring increased traffic into the area -
some 570 car parking spaces are planned,
although Oracle will also "bus-in" people from Reading.
Most of it is likely to come from the motorway system or from the Reading side of the river,
but some will undoubtedly add to the traffic on the Sandford Lane rat-run.
Secondly, this area is still designated as "Countryside" in the Local Plan,
and should not therefore be built on, unless there is good cause to do so.
We felt that allowing this development would drive a coach and horses
through the Local Plan and set a precedent,
thus making it harder in the future to fight further such encroachments.
WDC planning officers, however, are confident that the particular circumstances
at Sandford Farm need not set a precedent for Hurst.
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The centre will serve Oracle's internal and customer training needs,
and be complete with a "hotel" (originally 250 rooms, but now reduced to 100)
to accommodate course participants,
and a leisure centre which will be open to local residents outside normal training courses -
mostly at weekends.
The plans show the training centre between the Old River and the Woodley Airfield estate,
covering much the same area as the Hicks Persimmon housing proposal,
which was rejected on appeal.
There will be open space between the Old and New Rivers;
the southern part will be designated Community Woodland,
and the northern part Nature Reserve.
There will be at least one footbridge linking this Community Woodland
with the existing riverside footpath on the Hurst side of the river.
In addition, the landfill cells at Sandford Farm will be sealed,
gas control and venting systems introduced,
and a leachate management system installed to protect ground and surface water quality.
This means there will be no excavation of waste from the site and removal to Lea Farm,
which was one of our main objections to the Hicks Persimmon housing proposal.
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