I’ve created this page as a West Berkshire ward councillor to help explain the
cross-boundary context and share information.
The emerging Local Plan and the housing allocation in it is led by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
and subject to independent examination.
Proposed Housing at West End Farm, Mortimer West End
Information, background and answers to common questions
Parish working group evidence will be linked here once available.
Background
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council (BDBC) has identified land at
West End Farm, Mortimer West End as a potential site for around 350 homes
in its Local Plan Update (2024–2042). The site sits immediately beside Mortimer (West Berkshire) and would
function as a large extension of it. This page brings together information, maps and answers to common
questions about the proposal and planning process.
The Basingstoke & Deane Cabinet meeting on 11 November 2025 agreed to publish the draft
Local Plan Update for formal Regulation 18 consultation.
The consultation will open on Friday 28 November and run for eight weeks.
You can contact councillors with views at any time.
However, if you want to make a formal representation on the draft plan, the most effective moment is
after the Regulation 18 consultation opens, so that Basingstoke & Deane formally register it.
In the meantime, you can:
Read background documents in the Resources section below.
Draft ideas or notes for your response ahead of the consultation window opening.
Share early thoughts with me, other councillors or parish councils if helpful —
and feel free to copy me into any correspondence:
[email protected].
A parish working group, led by Stratfield Mortimer Parish Council, is preparing additional evidence and guidance.
When it is published, it will be added here and signposted in the News & Updates section.
When the Regulation 18 consultation opens:
The link to B&DBC’s formal consultation portal will be added here.
Public drop-in events, including one in Mortimer, will allow you to ask questions in person.
You may find it helpful to refer to the relevant FAQs when framing your
comments — for example on infrastructure, character, density, emergency planning or
reasonable alternatives.
Upcoming key dates
28 Nov 2025 – Regulation 18 consultation opens (runs to 23 Jan 2026).
8 Dec 2025 – West Berkshire councillors’ public information session (19:30, St John’s Village Hall, Mortimer).
7 Jan 2026 – B&DBC drop-in event(s) in Mortimer (time/venue to be confirmed).
I’ll update this page as further details and links are published.
Petition progress
Launched on 9 Oct. Stretch target set based on population.
Regulation 18 consultation now open – local information sessions announced
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council has now launched its
Regulation 18 consultation on the draft Local Plan and updated spatial strategy.
The consultation runs from Friday 28 November 2025 to Friday 23 January 2026.
You can read the draft Local Plan and submit comments via Basingstoke & Deane’s online portal:
www.basingstoke.gov.uk/draftLP
.
Responses made at any point during the consultation window carry the same weight, so there is
no need to respond immediately if you would find it helpful to hear more first.
Local information and Q&A sessions
Mon 8 Dec 2025 – 7.30pm, St John’s Village Hall, 22 West End Road, RG7 3TF
An information meeting organised by the ward members, with the
Leader of West Berkshire Council, the
Executive Member for Planning & Housing and a
senior planning officer attending.
The aim is to explain the plan-making process, cross-boundary context and how to make effective
consultation responses, followed by a Q&A session.
Parish councils and the working group have been invited to attend and a representative to speak.
Full event details:
see event listing ↗
.
Tue 7 Jan 2026 – 3.30pm to 8.00pm, St John’s Village Hall, 22 West End Road, RG7 3TF
A Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council drop-in event, where residents can discuss the
draft Plan, evidence base and mapping directly with B&DBC officers during the consultation period.
A parish working-group evidence pack and guidance are expected in due course; links will be added to this page
when they are publicly available. In the meantime, you may find it helpful to use the
Frequently Asked Questions and the Objection toolkit on this page to
start drafting ideas and points in your own words, and then finalise your representation after one or both
of the above sessions.
25 Nov 2025
Public information meeting – West End Farm proposals (8 December)
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council’s Regulation 18 consultation on its draft Local Plan
opens on Friday 28 November 2025. West Berkshire ward councillors are organising a local
information session to help residents understand the process and how to respond effectively.
Date: Monday 8 December 2025 Time: 7.30pm Venue: St John’s Village Hall, 22 West End Road, Mortimer RG7 3TF
We are pleased that the Leader of West Berkshire Council, the Executive Member for Planning & Housing
and a senior member of the Planning team will be attending to explain the plan-making process,
clarify how cross-boundary issues are considered, and answer residents’ questions.
The parish council has been invited to attend and contribute. More details on the meeting format will follow, but you will have a chance to participate.
21 Nov 2025
Regulation 18 consultation to open on 28 November
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council has announced that its
Regulation 18 consultation on the draft Local Plan Update
— including the proposed 350 homes at West End Farm, Mortimer West End —
will open on Friday 28 November 2025.
The consultation will run for eight weeks until Friday 23 January 2026.
When it opens, B&DBC will publish full documents and the link to their online
consultation portal, where residents can read the draft plan and submit formal comments.
B&DBC have also indicated they will hold in-person drop-in events in January,
with dates and venues to be confirmed when the consultation launches.
You do not need to submit comments before 28 November.
Any representations must be made through the official consultation portal once it opens.
Update (24 Nov 2025): B&DBC has confirmed that the Regulation 18 consultation will run from
28 November 2025 to 23 January 2026, with local drop-in events planned for early January.
This page will be updated again when venue and timing are confirmed.
11 Nov 2025
Cabinet hears representations and agrees to consult on draft Local Plan
On 11 November 2025, Basingstoke & Deane’s Cabinet considered whether to publish its
draft Local Plan Update (including the West End Farm site) for formal
Regulation 18 consultation.
The meeting heard representations from residents, Basingstoke & Deane councillors and me as a West Berkshire councillor.
After debate, the Cabinet agreed to put the draft plan out for consultation.
That consultation is expected to open this month and run for eight weeks, with drop-in event(s) in Mortimer.
You can still
sign the petition
(which I intend to re-submit at Regulation 18) and read the background information referenced on this page.
If you wish to make a formal representation, it is usually best to do so once the Regulation 18 consultation opens,
via the official consultation route so that your response is logged formally.
Cllr Nick Carter’s statement (11 Nov 2025) – example of structure and issues:
PDF
Cllr Konieczko’s response to representations — timestamp
25 Oct 2025
Parish meeting
The parish council held a public meeting to discuss the topic. Over 250 residents attended. I couldn't make it, so submitted in a statement which was read out.
The minutes are HERE (PDF).
My statement is here:
Cllr Nick’s statement (PDF).
Oct 2025
Introduction and background
Why the West End Farm site has appeared in Basingstoke & Deane’s Local Plan Update and what it could mean for Mortimer West End and Mortimer.
Read the full article ↗
Resources
Important: The letter linked below was submitted early in the process and is shared only as an
example of structure, tone and planning themes — it is not a recommended template for
Regulation 18 responses.
Planning evidence is still evolving and a parish working-group toolkit is expected shortly.
For the best-informed response, you may wish to draft now but consider finalising your
representation after reviewing:
the official Regulation 18 consultation documents
the parish evidence pack / toolkit (linked here once published)
answers gained from B&DBC drop-in events
Please use your own words — individually written representations are far more persuasive
than copied or standardised letters.
A Local Plan sets out how much development an area needs and where it should go over a 15-year period. It identifies housing sites, infrastructure, and environmental protections, and guides future planning decisions.
2) Are 350 homes definitely being built in Mortimer West End?
No. The land is only a candidate site in BDBC’s draft Local Plan. It has no planning permission. It will first go through a
Regulation 18 consultation
and must be tested against evidence on environment, infrastructure, transport and deliverability before any decision is made.
3) Is there enough infrastructure for 350 new homes and, assuming not, who pays to improve it?
These are the key questions the Local Plan process must answer. Before any housing allocation can be confirmed, Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council (BDBC) must work with:
Hampshire County Council – schools, highways and transport
NHS Integrated Care Board – GP and health services
Utility companies – drainage, water and energy
Together they assess whether and how local infrastructure can support the proposed housing level — particularly its impact on school capacity, GP services, road access, public transport and drainage. BDBC’s evidence base must demonstrate that these needs can be met and funded before a site is allocated.
CIL is a general charge on new floorspace collected by the charging authority (here, BDBC). A portion goes to parishes within BDBC, but it does not automatically flow to West Berkshire because the houses would be in Hampshire.
S106 is site-specific and can fund mitigation where directly justified — e.g., junction improvements or contributions to school or health capacity. Cross-boundary impacts are handled through engagement and Statements of Common Ground.
If Mortimer GP Surgery cannot absorb additional patients, any expansion or new provision would have to be led by the NHS Integrated Care Board and the practice with evidence of need. S106 funds could contribute if justified, but CIL spending is at BDBC’s discretion within its area.
👉 Use this when objecting on infrastructure deliverability and funding (schools, GP capacity, access, drainage).
4) Which schools would children likely attend, and is transport funded?
...
5) How many homes does the Government say ...
Councils start with the Government’s standard method for local housing need — a starting point, not a fixed target. The final housing requirement should reflect deliverability, infrastructure capacity and environmental limits.
5a) Do the overall housing numbers require using the Mortimer West End site?
Not necessarily. The Government’s standard method sets a minimum local housing need, not a fixed building target. Councils typically put forward a pool of sites larger than the minimum to allow for flexibility (non-delivery, infrastructure phasing, environmental limits). Which sites make the final plan is a policy choice that must be justified by evidence and pass the Inspector’s soundness tests.
When we say “less suitable” or “harmful”, we mean demonstrable issues such as: landscape/heritage effects, ecology (including protected sites/species), flood risk and drainage, highway safety and network capacity, health/education/service capacity, air/noise, emergency planning, deliverability/viability, and whether reasonable alternatives perform better in the Sustainability Appraisal.
How could an Inspector conclude this site is not needed?
(a) No allocation needed here: Evidence shows BDBC’s overall requirement can be met without this site (e.g., other sites are more suitable/deliverable; the Sustainability Appraisal shows reasonable alternatives with fewer impacts; infrastructure constraints here are not realistically solvable in the plan period). In that scenario, the allocation can be deleted without undermining the plan’s housing trajectory.
(b) A smaller allocation is justified: The site is retained at a reduced capacity because landscape, access, emergency-planning or infrastructure evidence supports a lower, more “village-edge” scale with stronger design/green-gap measures. The Inspector may ask for policy wording that limits numbers, phases delivery, or requires specific mitigation before later phases.
What about Traveller pitches if the housing changes?
If the allocation is removed, BDBC still must meet any Gypsy & Traveller need identified by its GTAA. That can be done by: modest extensions to existing authorised sites, placing pitches with other large housing allocations that are better served by roads and services, or (if justified) a small standalone site elsewhere.
If the allocation is reduced, pitches might still be included—but residents can seek a cap, stronger design/screening, and tests of whether co-location would be more proportionate at other strategic sites with higher service accessibility.
👉 Use this when objecting on reasonable alternatives and soundness—ask BDBC to select less impactful, better-served sites if the candidate pool allows and evidence supports it.
6) Who decides whether the site goes ahead?
BDBC Full Council, advised by planning officers and an independent Planning Inspector, decides which sites appear in the final Local Plan. Any allocated site would still need a planning application with its own consultation and decision.
7) Is the site in West Berkshire or Hampshire?
The site is in Hampshire, within Mortimer West End Parish, bordering Stratfield Mortimer (West Berkshire). Although the homes would adjoin Mortimer, planning and most services fall under BDBC and Hampshire County Council.
8) What can residents do – and when should they do it?
See Have your say – what happens next?
for the up-to-date steps (email contacts, petition links, parish meeting info, and how to respond at Regulation 18).
Latest: petition presented; draft Plan moving to consultation. See updates below and News.
9) Who should I contact or copy in?
To comment or object: please use the steps under
Have your say – what happens next?
(that section is kept up to date for the Regulation 18 consultation).
10) I heard the Mortimer dentist has been offered land for a new practice — will that solve the problem?
It could help private access, but not necessarily NHS capacity. NHS dentistry depends on commissioned contracts; a larger private practice does not automatically expand NHS places.
👉 Use this when objecting on health capacity evidence (NHS commissioning and practice capacity must be demonstrated).
11) Why is Basingstoke & Deane planning for so many homes? Could the Council have avoided these higher numbers if it had updated its plan sooner?
The number starts with the Government’s standard method for local housing need — a starting point, not a fixed target. Where a Local Plan is out of date, the new plan must use the latest method, which often gives higher numbers.
BDBC’s 2016 Local Plan is out of date, so it must use the newer method — higher due to affordability and population data. Many ask whether faster progress could have locked in a lower figure, as West Berkshire did. The final requirement will be tested by an independent Inspector who may support a lower number if limits justify it.
12) How might the Policy Alignment Test and the Stratfield Mortimer Neighbourhood Plan influence this proposal?
The old legal Duty to Co-operate has been replaced in the NPPF by a Policy Alignment Test. BDBC and West Berkshire are still expected to engage constructively across the boundary, agree evidence, and set out how cross-boundary impacts are managed (typically via Statements of Common Ground).
While BDBC is not obliged to copy detailed policies from the Stratfield Mortimer Neighbourhood Plan (e.g., mix, height, density), the NPPF expects context-sensitive design and gentle edge transitions. A refreshed Neighbourhood Plan and/or a simple design code can therefore be influential if they are:
evidence-based (landscape/heritage/setting, transport, drainage, local character),
specific but reasonable (edge treatments, building heights, block layout principles, green gaps, active travel links), and
presented through the Reg 18/19 process and discussed for inclusion in a Statement of Common Ground and site-specific policy wording.
Bottom line: a coordinated parish position (both sides of the border), backed by design-led, proportionate evidence, can shape any allocation’s form and phasing—even if it cannot veto it outright.
13) Do national housing-need figures mean BDBC must allocate the Mortimer West End site?
No. The Government’s “standard method” sets a minimum housing need; it is not a fixed building target. As noted in FAQ 5, the final requirement is tested against constraints and deliverability.
Current BDBC candidate sites reportedly exceed the minimum need to allow for flexibility (non-delivery, infrastructure phasing, and cross-boundary adjustments under the Policy Alignment Test). That means inclusion of this site is a choice that must be justified—not an unavoidable obligation.
14) Is the site affected by AWE emergency planning zones (DEPZ) that could stop development?
The land at West End Farm lies outside the formal Detailed Emergency Planning Zones (DEPZs) set by the
Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)
for AWE Burghfield and AWE Aldermaston. The DEPZ is a single national boundary that spans local authority areas (WBC and BDBC do not have different DEPZs).
Although the houses lie outside the DEPZ so ONR may not automatically object, the DEPZ can change over time and local mapping indicates the site lies within
Outline Planning Zones (OPZs). Any proposal here would still need to satisfy emergency-planning considerations — such as evacuation routes, access for emergency services, and public-information duties. Given the scale of the proposed housing, this remains an important issue to raise in any objection or consultation response. The ONR and emergency-planning authorities will be consulted formally if the site progresses further.
15) Would all 350 houses actually fit — and would they be in keeping with Mortimer?
The proposed 350 homes would occupy roughly the full West End Farm site area.
That equates to around 30–35 dph (dwellings per hectare), higher than the 20–25 dph acceptable densities that the
Mortimer Neighbourhood Plan might identify as typical of the village’s edges and “gentle transition zones.”
Older parts of Mortimer average nearer 15–20 dph, while newer infill estates reach 27–30 dph but are described as
“more suburban in feel.”
Comparison of typical Mortimer character densities and the West End Farm 350-home scenario.
dph = dwellings per hectare.
On a developable area of roughly 10–11 hectares, the relationship between density and housing numbers is approximately:
15 dph – 150–165 homes (rural-edge character);
20 dph – 200–220 homes (village-edge pattern);
25 dph – 250–275 homes (balanced, mixed layout);
30 dph – 300–330 homes (suburban/estate character);
35 dph – 350–385 homes (urban edge scale).
A layout closer to 20–25 dph would better reflect Mortimer’s prevailing pattern,
still allowing a mix of 2-, 3- and 4-bed homes, affordable housing and about 5 % self-build plots
(as mentioned in BDBC’s draft plan), while providing a softer visual and landscape transition to the countryside.
👉 Use this when objecting on character, scale and design-fit grounds — it demonstrates
that a full 350-home scheme would exceed typical village-edge density and alter local character.
16) What’s the situation with Traveller (Gypsy & Traveller) sites — and why suggest one here?
BDBC’s Local Plan Update includes provision for Gypsy & Traveller pitches across the borough.
National policy expects councils to plan for an identified need, usually set by a Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA).
Pitches can be provided on small dedicated sites, as extensions to existing authorised ones, or occasionally co-located with larger housing sites to encourage integration.
At this early stage, BDBC has indicated that the West End Farm allocation could include some Traveller provision, but no confirmed number of pitches has yet been published.
The final location and scale will depend on the GTAA and supporting evidence.
National planning guidance emphasises that new sites should be well-located for services, have safe access, and promote good relations with local communities.
Equally, they should avoid areas with unsuitable access, flood risk or poor integration.
If you wish to comment or object, as with all other aspects, you're advised to focus on planning grounds:
consider asking BDBC to publish the GTAA and site-selection evidence; explain why this site is considered preferable to modest extensions of existing sites; and test co-location at other strategic housing allocations closer to services or higher-capacity roads.
Comments are best to made respectfully and considering location, access, design, screening, proportionality and integration.
👉 Use this when objecting on site selection and proportionality grounds (request publication of GTAA evidence and comparison of alternatives).
How does the nearby West Berkshire site factor in? West Berkshire’s provision does not discharge BDBC’s duty to meet its own need. However, when BDBC selects locations, it should consider distribution and cumulative impact—i.e., avoiding over-concentration in one locality, ensuring proportional access to services, and maintaining good relations through well-designed, integrated sites. These are planning-merit points residents can raise respectfully, focusing on location, access, design and proportionality—not on people.
Before starting: The points below are intended to help you understand planning issues and
structure your thinking. They are not a template and should not be copied as a standard letter.
A parish-led working group is currently preparing additional evidence and guidance. Once it is formally published,
it will be linked here. You may find it helpful to draft ideas now, then finalise your submission after:
the Regulation 18 consultation documents are issued;
parish evidence packs are publicly released;
B&DBC drop-in events and Q&A sessions have taken place.
Representations should be in your own words and reflect your understanding, location, experience and concerns.
Identical letters carry much less weight.
When drafting your response, you may find these FAQs helpful:
Before the Regulation 18 consultation opens, you can still share views by emailing
Cllr Konieczko, Cabinet Member for Planning,
and, ideally, copying me in so I am aware of the points you are raising.
Once the Regulation 18 consultation is officially open, the most effective way to comment is to use the
official consultation route provided by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, so that your
representation is logged formally and considered alongside the evidence.
4 Sept 2025 B&DBC reviews candidate sites incl. West End Farm
11 Nov 2025 B&DBC Cabinet agrees to publish draft Local Plan (incl. West End Farm) for Reg 18 consultation
21 Nov 2025 B&DBC announces dates for Reg 18 consultation (28 Nov 2025–23 Jan 2026)
28 Nov 2025 Regulation 18 consultation opens (8 weeks to 23 Jan 2026)
8 Dec 2025 West Berkshire councillors’ public information session (19:30, St John’s Village Hall, Mortimer)
7 Jan 2026 B&DBC drop-in event(s) in Mortimer – time and venue to be confirmed
First half 2026 Regulation 19 publication & submission to Inspector (timetable indicative)
Late 2020s Earliest possible start of any housing (if allocated & planning permission granted)
Page created and maintained by Cllr Nick Carter, West Berkshire Council – Burghfield & Mortimer Ward.
Content last updated .
Stay Updated
If you’d like updates when Basingstoke & Deane publish new
documents, when the Regulation 18 consultation opens, or when
key dates change, you can sign up below.
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Your details are used only for updates about the Local Plan and West End Farm site.
You can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact
Cllr Nick Carter • West Berkshire Council – Burghfield & Mortimer Ward [email protected] · 07447 557557
Official Local Plan queries (B&DBC Planning Policy Team): [email protected]
