Berkshire
Gardens Trust
Reg.Charity No.1201501
Planning Update January 2024
Wokingham Borough Council
Park Place Grade II*:
Several applications and pre-applications from different owners have come up at Park Place. The following are the more major ones:
-
We had concerns about the scale and nature of the recent extension of the garden of Brick Barns into the parkland. Enforcement action has been taken and this has now gone to appeal.
-
We objected to a proposal to demolish one of the original lodges Hurley Lodge to build a House in Multiple Ownership (HMO) and to the expansion of the polo playing facilities into the field at Piggotts Corner east of the Grade II listed main house.
-
Other parks of the parkland have long histories with former permissions for major estate buildings. These applications have now been refreshed including the Hamilton Estate which proposes to erect new lodges, new staff and management facilities; the proposed a large new main dwelling, new gatehouse, and estate management buildings at the Strowdes Estate; and at Hatchgate for 2 storey Estate management buildings including gardener’s accommodation amongst other proposals. Several of these major developments, with the exception of Piggotts Corner, were approved in November 2023. Hurley Lodge does not appear to have been decided.
-
Surveys continue at James Corden’s property at Templcombe.
Wargrave Manor, Wargrave Hill, Wargrave (unlisted):
Wargrave Manor is a Grade II listed building and was once the home of Gertrude Jekyll. We were invited to undertake some research into whether she had any influence on the garden layout. The gardens may have influenced her but we found no evidence of her work. We have produced a short paper on this on the website. Click to view.
Reddam House, Bearwood Road, Sindlesham (Bearwood College Grade II*):
Proposals for the erection of a sports hall and new pool was approved on 15/11/23 subject to a condition to protect Historic Gate Pier & Wall Section. We were able to make a significant contribution to improvements to the scheme in order to protect the parkland and its historic features.
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECWMF) University of Reading (locally listed parkland):
We supported this exciting new development set on the site of a car park and old single storey buildings. The development abuts the parkland Wilderness of lakes, trees and shrubbery so it was important that any increase in access to the Wilderness is carefully managed to avoid damage to the surviving historic features
Photo of grotto in the Wilderness
Lockwaters
On a much smaller scale, we had concerns about the rebuilding of Lockwaters, a regency house overlooking the Thames and next to Park Place. This has been refused due to a lack of historic evidence that there would be no adverse impact on Park Place.
