Economic Infrastructure

Housing Provision

It's important that we aim to achieve a balance between the location of homes and the growth of jobs locally. This gives residents the opportunity to work close to their homes, retains their skills within our local workforce and reduces the need to commute to jobs in other places.

The Local Plan for the district supports economic growth by objectively assessing the local housing market and the needs for affordable housing. 

The West Berkshire Core Strategy, which forms part of the Local Plan, sets a framework for the delivery of 10,500 new homes in our area between 2006 and 2026, and includes two strategic sites - at Newbury Racecourse and at Sandleford Park, south of Newbury.

The policies of the Core Strategy aim to make sure that these sites will feature the right mix of house sizes, types and tenures to meet identified local needs. These developments will in turn support the needs of the local economy.
 

Transport

The local highway network is a valuable asset that supports the local economy and allows people to access the services and facilities that they need.

You can read about our Transport Plan online.
 

Broadband

Improving the speed and coverage of broadband across the county can give a real boost to local economies. The Superfast Berkshire project has combined the resources of the six unitary councils across the county and the  Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVBLEP) to improve access to broadband services in predominantly rural areas of Berkshire. The scheme is part of a UK government initiative.
 

Utilities

Utilities (such as electricity, gas, water, telephony, sewage treatment and locally-generated renewable power) are essential to a healthy economy. The capacity within the area has been assessed through the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) as sufficient to meet the needs of the current population, and also for the projected growth in the district through to 2026.