A planning application for the Wokingham Station Link Road scheme has now been submitted by the council, following widespread public consultation earlier this year.
The application encompasses a new highway between Reading and Station Roads, a transport interchange outside the new station, new signal junctions at Reading Road, Shute End and Wellington Road and improved provision for pedestrians and cyclists.
Wokingham Borough Council is working with Network Rail and South West Trains over the proposals to make major improvements to Wokingham railway station.
A key part of the multi-million pound scheme is a link road between the station forecourt and A329 Reading Road.
The aim of the scheme is to tackle traffic congestion – one of Wokingham Borough Council’s key Vision priorities – and together with the new station building create a pivotal gateway into the town centre.
62 per cent of Wokingham residents who took part in the public consultation back the proposals, and many of their responses led to subtle changes being made to the overall design of the scheme and planning application.
The planning application seeks permission for the, “demolition of numbers 48 and 50 Reading Road and construction of a single carriageway link road of approximately 336 metres in length connecting the A321 Wellington Road and the A329 Reading Road (part one-way and part two-way operation); provision of a new combined footway and cycleway along the link road; a transport interchange at Wokingham Railway Station; four new traffic signal controlled junctions and associated alterations landscaping; two noise barriers and provision of new pedestrian crossing facilities.”
A decision on the application is expected to be made in October.
July 28, 2012 | editor
Wokingham Borough Library is displaying Olympic inspired murals by 57 young people from nine different youth project across the Wokingham Borough.
The project was created in collaboration with Acorns Youth Club, Barkham Youth Club, Finchampstead Young Girls Dreamz Club, The Friday Drop-In, Norreys Youth Club, Rainbow Youth Club, Wokingham Baptist Church Youth Club, Wokingham Friday Club and Wokingham Life Skills Group.
A celebration event will be held at Wokingham Library on Saturday August 11 from 10.30am, the day before the final ceremony and the start of the Paralympics, to celebrate the work that the young people contributed to these murals.
The event will see young people who put the murals together alongside Larrisa from Art Clay, who was commissioned to seal the design in resin, come together to celebrate the mural designed to support Team GB and their achievements at the London 2012 Olympics.
July 28, 2012 | editor
Almost £1 million in Section 106 funding could be used to create more places for local children at three Wokingham Borough schools.
The £946,728 would be split between two primaries and a secondary school, if the council’s decision-making executive approves the recommendation on July 26.
The Section 106 monies – sometimes known as developers’ contributions – would help finance the three school projects, with capital funding covering the balance.
Bearwood Primary School would receive additional classroom accommodation, subject to planning consent. Planning permission has been granted for additional temporary classrooms at Winnersh Primary.
Work is already well underway constructing the new science block at St Crispin’s School, and it’s hoped the new facilities will be ready for students by December. Some £5.5million in capital funding has been invested by the council into the school, for this work.
Some £255,714 is being earmarked for Bearwood Primary to go towards the overall £281,000 project cost. The scheme at Winnersh Primary would receive £171,313, with £519,702 being proposed for St Crispin’s School.
July 24, 2012 | editor
Wokingham Borough’s libraries will be running Olympic sport inspired storytimes, for children 11 and under.
There will be sporty themed stories such as Pirate Gran goes for Gold by Geraldine Durrant, Paddington Goes for Gold by Michael Bond and Splish, Splash, Splat by Rob Scotton, will be read at special storytimes at libraries across the borough.
StoryLab is an official project in the Cultural Olympiad’s London 2012 Festival.
For more information and a full list of events residents should call (0118) 978 1368 or visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/events/summerchallenge
July 18, 2012 | editor
Wokingham Borough Council have announced Spring In2 Action, with the launch of the council’s summer programme of multi-sports courses for children.
The council’s sports development unit summer programme, ‘Spring In2 Action’, is packed with camps and courses for all ages – from favourite activities like football, tennis and cricket, to more unusual adventures such as tri-golf, raft building and mini-beast hunts.
All courses are run by Criminal Records Bureau checked coaches and are aimed at children of all abilities. The sports development unit aim to give children the chance to try out new sports or improve their skills at sports they are familiar with.
For a copy of the full programme of activities for the summer holidays and dates they are taking place, contact the sports development unit on (0118) 974 6264 / 6265 or email: [email protected]. Residents can also download a copy of the programme and the booking form by visiting: www.wokingham.gov.uk/spring-in2-action
July 16, 2012 | editor
Wokingham Borough Council have signed a development agreement between the council, Wilson Bowden and its sister company David Wilson Homes.
This milestone comes on the day further proposals for the regeneration of Wokingham town centre go out on public display, giving local people an opportunity to see how the plans have evolved since the consultation in July 2011 and give their feedback and comments on elements of the proposals.
Wokingham town centre regeneration
The consultation last year produced a wide variety of feedback and the project team have been working with this over the past 12 months. The plans on show will set out how feedback has been incorporated and where further input is needed to shape the final proposals.
The consultation will demonstrate how the proposals have moved forward since last year’s event, showing what has changed and asking for input on specific parts of the project including the residential aspects and the open space. There will be a model of the town centre as part of the exhibition, enabling people to see the proposals in 3D.
The town centre regeneration will provide an anchor food store, bringing trade into the town centre and supporting both new and existing businesses at the same time as respecting the heritage of Wokingham as a market town.
The plans will be going on public display in a marquee on Elms Field today (July 13) from 12pm to 7pm and from 10am until 4pm on Saturday July 14. The exhibition will then be moved to the council offices at Shute End until August 3.
July 15, 2012 | editor
At a meeting of its Policy and Resources Committee, Earley Town Councillors considered a request from the Wokingham Sports Sponsorship Fund for a grant. The Wokingham Sports Sponsorship fund grant aids a number of deserving individuals to allow them to compete in sporting events nationally and internationally.
The grant agreed by Earley Town Council will go towards assisting 2 Earley residents, both competing nationally and internationally in hammer throwing events, namely Rebecca Keating and Daniel Webb.
July 13, 2012 | editor
Thames Valley Police has charged a 24-year-old man in connection with a collision in Winnersh in which two teenagers died.
Samuel Darling, of Sirius Close, Wokingham, has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
The collision, which happened at 8.55pm on Wednesday 14 March, on the A329 Reading Road at the Winnersh crossroads, involved a VW Golf and a Ford Transit van.
An 18-year-old man from Wokingham and a 19-year-old man from Winnersh died as a result of the collision.
Darling has been released on bail to attend Slough Magistrates’ Court on 26 July.
July 12, 2012 | editor
The Binfield, Warfield & Winkfield Arts Week (formerly known as the Northern Parishes Arts Week) is an exciting week long festival of FREE arts, crafts, music, theatre and workshops organised by the three Parish Councils of Binfield, Warfield and Winkfield. The three adjacent Parishes are in East Berkshire, north of Bracknell.
Arts Week events take place in libraries, halls, schools, churches and in the great outdoors right across the area.
Arts Week coincides with the school Autumn Half-Term Holiday: Monday 29th October – Sunday 4th November 2012, and is for children, families and adults.
Arts Week is by local people and for local people. We showcase some of the very best arts and crafts from this area. We hope the events will stimulate interest and encourage people to take up new hobbies, pastimes or challenges with one or more of the local organisations, clubs and groups involved in the Arts Week.
If you would like to participate please download now and complete the Application Form (on-screen form – you will need Microsoft Word) or the alternative Application Form (paper form – you will need Adobe Reader) or contact Jonathan Greenyer (01344 882702) or Janis Harding, Clerk to Warfield Parish Council (01344 457 777)
More information: www.arts-week.org
July 12, 2012 | editor
Wokingham welcomes the Olympic Torch on Tuesday July 10. The torch passes through the Wokingham Borough at approximately 6pm as it continues its journey in motor convoy along the A329M to Reading where the evening celebrations are taking place. For this part of its journey the Torch will not be visible to spectators. Supported by Thames Valley Police, the Torch relay police escort team will operate a rolling road closure along the length of the A329M towards Reading.
Wokingham Borough Council will also be tweeting live during the morning of July 10 so that the council’s Twitter followers can keep up-to-date with the Torch’s journey should they not be able to see it in person.
For further information and events planned in the Wokingham Borough for the London 2012 Olympics please visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk/london2012
July 10, 2012 | editor
