It's only when you talk to local people that you can understand the effects of large developments on a community.

I went along to the latest meeting for the campaign run by the Say NO to Thatcham NE Development team. Mainly to see if I could help in anyway given the experience gained by standing up for the community in Wash Common and the impact the proposed Sandleford development would have. There are a lot of similarities between the 2 sites.

It's not about no housing, but should all be about the right type, at the right price, in the right place with the right infrastructure!

What the campaign is doing now is critical, because once the local plan is adopted, it becomes very hard indeed to stop the actual development. Much discussion was had about getting Sandleford removed from a local plan. Apparently its not that you can’t, but that no one has ever managed it. Compensating developers was one reason I heard – which is ridiculous as all development is speculation.

In our developer-led planning world it's far less about what a community needs and too much about just profit.

There are exceptions of course but they are in the minority.

I think there are 4 things we could change that would help.

1) Move to community-led development where local people describe what they need to keep their local service etc.

2) Carry out land value reform, so that the development of needed housing does not start with the huge hike associated with profiteering from turning land which is worth a few K to land that is worth millions. Direct that profit (not made by the developer usually) to ensure infrastructure is delivered.

3) Schedule the infrastructure improvements and fixes to the early stages of development. Not to the end as so often happens.

4) Give some teeth back to local planners and more weight to local development plans. They know far better what works for a community than the Secretary of State.

A lot of this is managed and controlled by Westminster.

That’s why we need constituency MPs who are willing to stand up for inappropriate development in their areas.

Adrian Abbs

Independent Candidate

Reading West and Mid Berkshire