Reading Borough Council is moving to amend its Local Plan after a government planning inspector identified two areas needing attention: provision for Gypsy and Traveller sites and measures to protect water quality.
Why the plan is being revised
The Local Plan, which sets out where new homes and other development can go, was partially updated and submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in May 2025. The council adopted the larger plan in 2019, and a partial update process began in 2024. Appointed inspector Joanna Gilbert has recommended modifications so the plan properly recognises obligations on Traveller site provision and environmental safeguards for waterways.
Councillors discussed those recommended changes at a policy committee meeting on 16 September. The debate set out the practical challenge for the council: preparing the town’s planning documents while responding to recent changes to national planning rules that end the use of partial plan updates.
Timescales and next steps
Labour councillor Micky Leng, deputy leader and the council’s lead for planning and assets, said the council expects to adopt the amended Local Plan in January and would then have 18 months to complete detailed work on Gypsy and Traveller site provision and on measures to protect water quality.
“We are going to have a Local Plan, hopefully adopted by the council in January, then we will have 18 months to do our due diligence on Gypsy and Traveller [sites] and water quality,”
Leng acknowledged the work will be challenging. He told councillors finding a site for Traveller communities will be difficult, but said the council would press on: “that’s going to be hard to try and find a site, but we’ll overcome that, like we overcome everything else.”
National planning reforms mean councils must now prepare full Local Plans rather than relying on partial updates. That change has implications for Reading’s timetable: councillors accept a comprehensive review will be needed in due course. Green councillor Josh Williams, who represents Park ward, welcomed the chance to amend the plan now and flagged local environmental concerns such as the shortage of trees in Newtown.
Housing delivery and local targets
Councillors emphasised the council remains committed to delivering homes while incorporating the inspector’s modifications. Members referenced recent performance on housebuilding: the council reported 890 homes completed in the last year against a target of 825.
- Local Plan originally adopted: 2019
- Partial update submitted to inspector: May 2025
- Policy committee discussion: 16 September 2026
- Planned adoption (aim): January (council timescale)
- Due diligence window after adoption: 18 months
| Issue | Stated position |
|---|---|
| Traveller site provision | Inspector requires plan to acknowledge need; council to identify sites within 18 months |
| Water quality | Modifications required to address environmental protections |
For residents, the changes mean continued scrutiny of where new housing will be built and which environmental safeguards will be added to planning policy. The council says it will continue to aim to supply “good quality homes”, while adapting to the inspector’s findings and the new national rule that full plan reviews will be needed going forward — with councillors suggesting a comprehensive update may be required by around 2028, a decade on from the last full plan.
The Local Plan shapes everyday matters from school places to transport and green spaces. The inspector’s recommendations, and the council’s response, will determine how those priorities are balanced in the years ahead.
