AfuorfleldGarrisonResidentsActionGroup

C/o 1 GerringRoad
Arborfield
Berkshire
RG2gN Z

i.lpenLetterfo:

f.4embers of WBC Executive

:lLSanLaw- ChiefExecutive WBC
i;ouncillorDavidLee- Leaderof the Council
i lembersof WBC PlanningCommittee
,!teveChapman- Chairmanof WBC PlanningCommittee
iiouncillorGaryCowan- Local& RegionalPlanningExecutiveMember
.iohnRedwoodMP
rrrborfieldParishCouncil
,:lisonWard- Clerkto ArborfieldParishCouncil
.ludithNeuhofer- Clerkto BarkhamParishCouncil
.laneHolloway- Clerkto Finchampstead ParishCouncil
Parish
l.leliaAdams- Clerkto Swallowfield Council
',,Vokingham Times

12r hM ay2010

lear Sirs.
ArborfieldGarrisonSDL

On behalfof the Arborfield GarrisonResidentsActlonGroup,I wouldlike to drawto your

attentionthe statementissuedby the liloD to the BBCon April28 2010whichstated,and I
quote.".....theGarrison programmed
.... is currently in 20141 15". (A writtencopy
to be vacated
cf thisstatementas handedto us by theBBCis available you
should require a copy).

thattheMODgaveto WBCandthePlanning
Thisdateis at least3 yearslaterthantheevidence
Nspector duringthe SDLconsultation process sitewouldbe
whentheystatedthattheGarrison
''tacated
in 2011-12.

TheMODhasbeensayingfor manyyearsthattheywillbe movingoutof thesitein a 3-4year

tiTescale. But eachyearor so, thistimescale hasbeenpushedbackfurtherandfurther.The
atestannouncement that they won'tbe leavingthe site until2015thereforecomesas no
3.rrprise
to thelocalresidents. We suspect tftatin thenextyearor so,the MODwiilannounce a
iLrrther
extension untiltheyplanto leavethesite.Indeed, theimpending majorDefencereviewto
re initiatedby the newGovernment may resultin the Arborfield sitehavingto accommodate
rersonnel returningfromGermany so it maynotbe vacated at alll

The latestdelayin vacatingthe Arborfieldsite, yet alonethe distinctpossibilitythat the

site won't be vacatedat all, has seriousand significantramificationsin terms of the
viabilityof the wholeAborfieldSDL:Withoutthe brownfield landbeingmadeavailable by the
housesin the SDL to generatethe required
vlOD,it will not be possibleto buildsufficient
andwithoutsuchfundingin placethewholeprojectis unviable.
'irnding,
 l
r-heArborfieldGarrison Residents ActionGroupflrmlybelieves
thatthe ArborfieldsDL should
lre postponed until it is certainthat the tMoDwill vacatethe Arborfietdsite and that no
development shouldstartuntilthe site is vacant.We absolutely opposeany development
r;tartingon greenfieldsor otheropenspacesoutsidethe wire,becauseif the MODdoesn't
'/acatethe siteanddevelopment hasstartedoutsidethewire,the residentswillbe leftwiththe
'vorstof bothworldsi.e. the lossof thegreenfieldsandopenspacesbutlitfleor no infrastructure
ro supportthedevelopment.

' he ArborfieldGarrisonResidents ActionGrouptherefore publiclycallson the WBC planning

l)ommittee andthe WBC Executive to rejectanyapplicationfor development in the Arborfiela
llDL untilthe MoD hasphysically vacated thesite.only thencanwBc be certainthatsufficient
lurds will be generated
to meetall the necessaryinfrastructure
improvements.

Ioursfaithfully,

i I 't , - L - ! \ - uu!{''-
i' \-.'

i
\4artlhRutter
i. hairinan,ArborfieldResidents
ActionGroup
Llobiler07885339772