Background to the West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023 to 2041

The government requires every Local Plan to be reviewed at least once every five years. Our previous Local Plan set out our planning policies up to 2026, and we have undertaken a review of the Local Plan to cover the period up to 2041. The review is termed the 'Local Plan Review'.

Regularly reviewing the Local Plan ensures that it continues to look to the future and is able to meet the current and emerging needs of the district. It means that new opportunities and challenges can be addressed - such as the climate emergency and the changes to how we live and work as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023-2041 (LPR) was adopted on 10 June 2025 and it forms part of the Development Plan for West Berkshire. It can be be viewed online here.

Information about the preparation of the LPR is set out below.

Independent examination

The LPR was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination on 31 March 2023.

The LPR was independently examined by a Planning Inspector, William Fieldhouse BA (Hons) MA MRTPI, who was appointed by the Secretary of State. The Inspector's role was to assess whether the LPR has been prepared in accordance with the Duty to Cooperate, legal and procedural requirements, and whether it is sound (positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy).

The council received the Inspector's Report into the Examination of the LPR on 8 April 2025. The Report sets out the Inspector's recommendations and the reasons for them. It concludes that with the recommended Main Modifications set out in the Appendix to the Report, the LPR is sound, legally compliant and capable of adoption.

The Inspector's Report and the Appendix to the Report are available to download below:

Further information on the examination, including the examination documents, can be viewed online here.

Supporting evidence

The LPR must be supported by a robust evidence base. A number of studies and assessments were undertaken and information has been collected to inform the plan. You can find the studies and assessments prepared to date here.

Previous consultations

We have undertaken several consultations which fed into the preparation of the LPR. You can find details of the consultations here.

Frequently asked questions

We have prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions to assist with the understanding of the LPR. You can view the frequently asked questions here.

Click here to watch our video about the West Berkshire Local Plan Review.

Facebook Live

On Monday 8 March 2021 we held a Facebook Live on the LPR. The video can be viewed below and you can read the questions we received prior and during the Facebook Live here.

On 29 November 2021, a response from the Acting Chief Executive to a letter from a member of the public regarding the proposed Local Plan Review allocation at North East Thatcham was published. You can view the response here [921KB] .