Our Cold Ash community worked hard to create and implement our Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), which established locally focused policies aimed at determining where development should go in the parish. However, West Berkshire Council (WBC) is moving forward with plans to develop on previously rejected sites, including Henwick Park (CA12) and Regency Park (CA17), without addressing the local people and disregarding our NDP.
This is not just about opposing development—it’s about standing up for our parish’s right to be consulted and ensuring that community-led development is respected. Our NDP was created through thousands of hours of community effort, and it represents the will of the people. Yet, WBC has bypassed this process, leaving our voices unheard.
Why We Need Your Help: We are filing a challenge to hold WBC accountable and prevent them from proceeding with their plans without sufficient consultation. This action will protect our freedom to decide where developments should take place in our parish, ensuring that local opinions are not overlooked. However, official (consultant fees) actions are expensive, and in order to give our community a fighting chance, we must gather cash to cover legal expenses in addition to what we can fund directly through the parish council.
How Your Contribution Will Help: Your donation will go directly towards:
Consultation and other fees to initiate and pursue a challenge to WBC.
Expert consultations to build a strong case that upholds our NDP.
The resources we need to challenge WBC’s actions and demand that they follow the proper procedures, including community consultation.
This is Our Community's Future: We do not oppose development; we recognize the need for new homes in West Berkshire. We do, however, believe in wise, community-driven development that respects people's will and our parish's long-term sustainability. We have genuine options that the WBC refuses to examine, and we are committed to fighting for a fair and transparent process.
This challenge is about more than simply a few development sites; it is about safeguarding our parish's democratic rights and making sure our opinions are heard. Without local consultation, our NDP is useless. We cannot allow WBC to trample on our liberties.
Please help us protect our parish! We are appealing for your help to raise the cash needed to initiate this challenge and build our fighting fund. Every contribution, no matter how large or small, will help us stand up to these unfair practices and defend Cold Ash's future for decades.
Together, we can make a difference. Your help is critical.
Thank you for joining us in defending our parish and the right to be heard!