Shinfield Park, formerly known as Shire Hall, is a vacant office building and the wider site is underutilised, formerly being used for car parking. Over the past few years, the demand for large office spaces outside town centres, like Shinfield Park, has decreased as more businesses look for smaller and more central office locations instead. With this in mind, we are proposing to redevelop the site to provide modern, high quality and sustainable industrial/employment buildings. These facilities will bring the site back into active economic use, help to address the local demand for industrial/employment floorspace and provide new employment opportunities for local people, both during construction and when operational.

The existing Public Right of Way that runs from Railton Close through the connecting to Greenwich Road will be retained and will be accessible throughout the construction period.

The tallest building will have a maximum height of 12m (16.57m to ridge). This is significantly less than the current office building on the site. Our landscape strategy includes substantial boundary planting that will provide screening for the new buildings and will minimise any potential visual impact on neighbouring residential areas.

Yes, the site will be operational 24/7. While offices tend to have a high volume of traffic that peaks during the morning and evening rush hours, industrial/employment facilities tend to have lower volumes of traffic that are spread out throughout the day and night.

Previously, there was a limited bus service to the site, provided by the 603 Park and Ride route. However, following the previous occupier vacating the site, the bus operator decided to amend this route, so the 603-bus route no longer serves the site.

A Tree Survey has been undertaken so that we know the location and quality of each tree on the site. We will be retaining as many trees as possible. A detailed landscape and planting strategy will be developed to include new trees and native shrubs, wildflowers and meadow planting.

If planning permission is granted in late summer/late autumn 2025, we would expect construction to start towards the end of 2025. Based on our experience with similar schemes, we expect that construction could take around 18-24 months. These dates are indicative only and subject to change as the design and planning process progresses.

A framework Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) would form part of any future planning application and would be a condition to planning permission. This would require the development to comply with agreed standards and methodologies for construction logistics, access for construction vehicles, dust mitigation measures, pollution control, disturbance minimisation and any other construction matter deemed relevant for the site. The final CEMP would be the result of extensive discussions with Wokingham Borough Council. Any appointed contractors would be required to provide updates to local residents on the nature of works to be conducted and the dates for those works. A site manager would be appointed to act as the primary point of contact for construction-related enquiries.

The scheme would be designed to achieve sustainability and energy efficiency certifications including BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and an EPC ‘A’ rating (the highest energy efficiency rating for buildings in the UK). The buildings could include water and energy efficient features such as solar panels and air source heat pumps to reduce the energy demand for future occupiers. We are also actively exploring the use of modern and sustainable construction materials that could include bio-based and recycled materials.

The Site is an established employment site and within the adopted Wokingham Local Plan there is a general presumption against the loss of employment land to non-employment uses. We are looking to bring forward a scheme in line with local planning policy, which retains the site in meaningful employment use and offers a range of quality, modern employment buildings aimed at appealing to a wide range of end users across all employment uses (excluding offices other than ancillary provision) including manufacturing, assembly and R&D.

The proposed development will generate fewer peak hour trips than would have been generated by the previous occupier and could be generated by another occupier using the existing buildings for office use. The nature of the proposed units is such that it will attract a wide range of occupiers across all employment uses apart from office use, many of whom will operate longer hours than a typical office use or 24/7 meaning that there will be a number of different shift patterns across the day, none of which start or finish during peak periods. As a result of this, the number of trips on the surrounding highway will be lower during peak periods compared to the previous or potential future office use of the site. On this basis, there is no requirement to make improvements to any surrounding junctions. This approach to the trip generation for the existing and proposed uses on the site has been agreed with WBC highways as part of the pre-application process. This is also reflected in the reduction in car parking provision from over 1,000 spaces currently to in the region of 250 spaces for the proposed development (final layout yet to be finalised).

As above, there will be a net reduction in trips associated with the site in peak hours compared to what the site previously and still could generate as an office development; therefore, no mitigation will be required for this junction. All major developments in the area which will have had an impact on the M4 J1 will have considered whether any improvements are required, and National Highways would have insisted on these being provided if considered necessary. The difficulty with major motorway interchanges is that there is little scope to make improvements without multi-million-pound projects which would not pass the planning obligation tests for the majority of planning applications.

At this stage (15th January 2025) we are seeking the views and feedback from the community, once the consultation period has finished, we will then take the feedback onboard and finalise our proposals before submitting our Planning Application in early Spring to Wokingham Borough Council.

Yes we have done a complete survey on all the trees within the site area. Our approach is to retain as many of the quality trees identified as possible. Our Planning Application will be accompanied by a detailed Aborcultural Impact Assessment which provides the details of the surveys we have undertaken and what we are proposing to remove. Our Landscape proposals will provide details of planting in lieu of any losses of trees.

We have used the trip rates that the former office site generated and compared it to what is proposed. If the site was re-occupied for office use it would generate a higher number of trips compared to the proposed development for Industrial/employment use, which will see a reduction of the number of trips, particularly at peak times, on the site. Varying shift patterns with also contribute to reducing trips during the peak rush hour periods. Full details will be supplied in the Transport Assessment that will accompany the Planning Application.

We are aware there is some asbestos, but to give everyone some assurance, our contractors will have to comply with all the legislation and safety requirements of the Health and Safety Executive. Before any demolition works start an Asbestos Survey will need to be undertaken to identify where the asbestos is and how much of it is onsite. The removal of any asbestos will be managed and removed in full compliance with the Health and Safety Executive.

Unit 1 has a maximum haunch height of 12m but at its ridge its 16.5m (middle of the building at the top of the roof). The existing building at its highest point is 29m, so our building will be substantially lower than the existing building on the site.

All trees that are being proposed are in line with best practice in terms of how they are planted to ensure their best survival. However, Woking Borough Council would expect that if any new trees that are planted die within 5 years they have to be replaced.

Yes we are proposing a typical chunky post and rail timber fence - we want to encourage and provide easy access for hedgehogs and other wildlife.

For a development such as this when we are applying for different uses, it is always a bit of a balancing act as there are no particular occupiers in mind, at this stage. The amount of parking currently proposed is in accordance with Wokingham Borough Councils parking standards and we have discussed the level of parking provision with the Highway Officer who is comfortable with the proposed provision at this stage. The 226 proposed parking spaces will be allocated to the units and there is an additional overflow car park to the north of the site, should any occupiers require additional parking spaces. Based on previous and similar size developments we have delivered and the parking standards, we are comfortable that this is an appropriate level of parking.

There are a couple of ponds to the south west of the existing building that we understand have been there for quite a long time and were created as part of the original development. There is also existing drainage that runs through the woodland to the south and we will not be touching any of that and they will continue to drain as existing. As part of our development we will be bringing forward a site wide Drainage Strategy that will ensure the existing ponds do not overflow with any excess water that the new development could create. We have had some Ecology Surveys undertaken and the intention is for minimal intervention so as to protect the existing ecology. We are however looking to make some enhancements directly to the north of the ponds to create some nice amenity spaces for employees and visitors using the site.

This will depend on the businesses that move into the site as different levels of industrial users will have different levels of employees. At the upper end we have estimated about 560 employees. However, it is important to note that it is unlikely that all the employees will be working on the site at the same time given the nature of the uses, as there are likely to be shift patterns throughout a 24 hour period.

This is not something we have looked into in any detail at this stage, but it could be considered if required.

At this stage we do not have any confirmed end users who could occupy the units in the future. Therefore, it is really important that we secure flexibility for a wide range of uses across the full extent of employment uses which cover pure industrial, manufacturing assembly and R&D. The employment use we would not be applying for is offices (excluding that which would be ancillary to another employment use).

A typical home is about 8m to the ridge, and the nearest unit to the residential area to the north is Unit 5 which is 10m to the haunch. However, the distance between the northern elevation of Unit 5 and the nearest residential property is 41m and there are also level changes and existing and proposed landscaping which will mitigate views.

If our planning application is approved by Wokingham Borough Council we envisage the development of the site will take approximately 18 months to complete.

We have had some discussions around the use of the car park. However, at this point in time due to some internal works being carried out, the removal of the temporary office building and due to Health and Safety, it has not been possible for anyone to access the site. However, we are keen to help facilitate conservations and will encourage future occupiers to engage and be as accommodating as possible.

It is anticipated that in the morning peak rush hour, based on our current proposal, there will be approximately 130 two way vehicle movements of which 5 would be lorries. Typically throughout the day there will be about 10/12 two way lorry movements per hour ( 6 in/6out at the worst case) throughout the day. The size of the units do not lend themselves for a large parcel distributer e.g. Amazon, that generate a large amount of lorry movements and therefore it is more likely to be manufacturing that do not have lots of lorries coming in and out throughout the day and is more likely to be 2 or 3 a day.

We will be applying for 24 hour operation, but the way the scheme has been designed we have tried to keep the yards in areas where they are not close to residential boundaries, and the position of the units also helps to screen potential noise outbreaks. Whilst some of the units might operate 24 hours a day, that does not mean that lorries will be coming in and out 24 hours a day and will certainly be less frequent at night. We will be submitting a Delivery and Servicing Management Plan as part of the Planning Application, which will outline how deliveries will be managed in the yards. There will also be a Noise Assessment which will identify whether any additional mitigation may be required in order to protect the amenity of the surrounding residential areas. We are very alive to this and will make sure that proper provisions are incorporated within the design to make ensure that the potential for disturbances is minimised and amenity is protected.

Our landscape elements for the scheme have worked so hard on the green infrastructure network across the site. The green infrastructure along the Public Right of Way (PROW) itself plays an important role in terms of visual amenity and how the edges of the site interacts with the woodland, the residential edges and the frontage of the site which is something users and people living in the surrounding area will experience on a day to day basis.

When we purchased the site it includes an area to the south that is currently dense woodland, which is priority woodland habitat and is heavily protected by planning policy. There is no intention to build on this woodland and any application proposing the loss of woodland would be unlikely to gain planning approval as the ecological impact would be severe.

The maximum number of employees is based on a certain element of a 24 hour shift pattern on some of the units, so not all of the estimated 560 employees will be working on site at the same time. It is anticipated that some people will either cycle, walk, use the bus or car share. As part of the Planning Application we will submit a Travel Plan which will outline how the use of substantiable transport modes will be encouraged and will be supported by the provision of the facilities on the site including cycle parking and shower facilities.

The current Public Right of Way (PROW) on the site to the north is made ground and our aim is to widen it via changes to the boundary treatment but retain it as a made ground footpath.

There will be a Drainage Strategy submitted with the Planning Application that sets out how the site will be drained including foul drainage. We are not expecting a significant increase in foul drainage relative to the site's former use. If there have been problems in the past, then we will look into this, as it is in our interests to make sure the foul drainage is sufficient and is going to work.

We are looking to propose solar panels on the roofs of all the units and the potential for air source heat pumps. We are also looking at trying to reduce energy use through the design of the units, including in terms of insulation.

We are already considering security on the site. Once the site is operational there will be Managing Agents and an Estate Management Plan, which will be assessed and reviewed on a regular basis. It is in our interests, and that of our future tenants to ensure there is as little or no vandalism and anti-social behaviour on the site. The design of the buildings also gives lots of opportunities for passive surveillance, which should be a deterrent to vandalism and any anti-social behaviour.

We did discuss this with Reading Buses and they have decided to stop this route and as far as we understand there are no plans to bring this stop back.

The access is staying the same so any vehicles coming from the M4 J11 can continue to turn left into the site. All other movements are via the signalised junction.

The floor level to unit 1 will be lower than the existing ground floor level of the building by approximately 3.4m. For context, this is about 0.5m above the upper basement level. The existing car park where unit 5 is located is on quite a steep slope so level differences will vary. A majority of the unit will be higher than existing levels with the north end of the building lower than existing levels.

As part of the planning application we will be submitting a proposed Lighting Strategy for the site which will look to provide sufficient lighting to ensure safe operation, but in a way which respects the site’s sensitive surroundings, including in relation to ecology as well as residential amenity. Lighting will automatically dim to lower levels enough to cover health and safety services when there is no movement in the area. If there is movement on the roads/area by cars/pedestrians etc the applicable fixtures will automatically ramp up. No lighting will spill outside the boundary of the site.

The landscaped area to the very north will maintain existing levels. The buffer and screening will be created through planting.

The bunker, which has previously been stripped out prior to Wrenbridge purchasing the site, will be removed as part of the proposed demolition of the building.

Planting to the north of the site is proposed as significant tree planting to create a buffer between the residential edge and the industrially active centre of the site. Structural planting will be proposed to this area at semi-mature/extra heavy standard.

Any future occupiers will be obliged to operate in accordance with the planning permission which seeks a range of uses. At this stage the end users for the units are currently unknown.

The safe storage, handling and disposal of hazardous waste is controlled and managed under specific legislation which places a duty of care on those involved to adhere to strict regulations. As such we would not expect any planning permission to impose additional controls in this respect.