In the stretch of the Loddon Valley that weaves between the endless rolling hum of the M4 and the villages of southern Berkshire, the University of Reading’s Hall Farm is currently an oasis amongst ever encroaching development.

Apart from the odd angler or walkers, and perhaps the operators of some farm machinery, you are unlikely to encounter another person. But that may soon change, and one of the largest rural pockets adjacent to Reading seems destined to undergo urbanisation on a massive scale.

To the West, the University has already developed an industrial and science estate with a world class film and TV studio. To the south, the garrison village of Arborfield slowly and painfully became the community of Arborfield Green, and to the east, the A329 is by now a housing corridor linking Reading and Wokingham.


A History Of The Site

There was a medieval settlement by the River Loddon near Hall Farm, and the discovery of Neolithic artefacts seems to indicate that this site was settled long before this and has probably been farmland for millennia.There was a manor house and a wooden church dating from Saxon times, forming the origins of the village of Arborfield. The church was rebuilt in the 13th century of flint and chalk,  and the manor house much later in 1605 and again in 1842. Gradually, the village developed and thrived — a mill using power and water from the Loddon was used to produce high quality paper. By 1829 another mill, this time for processing corn was added. Hall Place Farmhouse was built in 1840 when Sir John Conroy moved to Arborfield and took up farming, draining the land and developing a ‘model farm’ famous for its pig rearing.


The 1790 Thomas Pride Map shows both Arborfield Cross and the old village of Arborfield by the River Loddon.
 

Thomas Pride's map of the area from 1790 shows a thriving village developing around Arborfield Hall, situated to the south west of the farm. In addition to the farmhouse the area also has the ruins of St Bartholomew’s and the Simonds family tomb in the old churchyard. It is also the site of other lost buildings and manor houses.

 

The RAF and US forces occupied the hall during World War 2 and a camp of Nissen huts built as part of a military base built circa 1943. After the war the hall was left in disrepair and demolished in the 1950s with the current Aberleigh House built by the University in the 1960s. Now, the site is primed for a massive new development with the building of Loddon Garden Village on the site.

Does Reading University Need The Money ?

These days, universities are big businesses - at the end of 2024, the University of Reading had endowments of £111.4 million (up from £101.9 million in the previous year) and total net assets of £533.6 million (up from £453.2 million). It holds the thirteenth-largest endowment of any university in the UK, remarkable considering how ‘new’ an university it is. But much of that wealth is based on its significant estates. The University is a major landholder in the region with assets such as the Thames Valley Business Park and Shinfield Studios, a far cry from its original campus as an outreach college of Oxford University on London Road.

However, these are challenging times for many academic institutions with factors as diverse as Brexit, immigration policy and AI impacting on their futures.

So, the development of Hall Farm into Loddon Garden Village is seen as the next step in the University’s plans to inure itself from future financial challenges and downturns. This is, after all, the imperative of those running the institution. Along with pressure from both the recent Tory central government and the current Labour regime to build more and more homes, the project has strong impetus and support.

However, recent history has left many local people wary, not only over the loss of farmland, but also over what facilities will be provided and what mitigations will be introduced.

Lessons From Arborfield Green

The closure of the nearby Arborfield Garrison began in 2011, with the Ministry of Defence's decision to consolidate military training at RAF Lyneham. By 2015, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) had fully vacated the site, paving the way for redevelopment.

Wokingham Borough Council subsequently approved plans for a large-scale housing development, designated as Arborfield Green. Construction commenced shortly afterwards, with Crest Nicholson being the primary developer. The initial phases focused on residential units, with the first residents moving in around 2017. However, the promised accompanying infrastructure, including community centers, retail spaces, and healthcare facilities, lagged far behind, with a shop only being introduced in the last year.

Delays in the delivery of these amenities led to increasing resident dissatisfaction. While schools were constructed, the absence of accessible and timely healthcare provisions, and the slow progress of retail development became a significant point of contention. 

This is a complaint that is heard in many parts of Reading - even in the centre of town retail units at the newly sold out Huntley Wharf remain empty after many years. The discrepancy between the rate of housing and infrastructure development continues to be a source of local disdain.


Loddon Garden Village

So, it is hardly surprising that local people are, to say the least, concerned about the ambitious development plans recently released for Loddon Garden Village, and a new community of nearly 4000 new homes on this greefield site in the Loddon Valley.

The development is being promoted as an example of sustainable development, with at least 2,700 homes to be completed by 2040, and an the ultimate goal of 3,930 residences. Significantly, up to 40% of these homes are earmarked for below-market rent or shared ownership, aiming to alleviate the region's acute affordable housing shortage. ​However, this is a promise that is often seen in the area and then quickly scaled back by developers as ‘un-economical’ once planning permission is granted.

Beyond housing, the proposal includes the creation of Wokingham Borough's largest country park, spanning 490 acres. Complementing this green space are plans for two primary schools, a secondary school, a business hub, retail facilities, and three neighbourhood centres equipped with shops, sports pitches, and community health amenities. The University of Reading envisions the village as a ‘sustainable, vibrant community that aligns with its academic mission and values’.

Infrastructure enhancements are also on the docket, including improved road links such as a new M4 motorway overpass to Lower Earley Way, additional lanes on Lower Earley Way, and a half-hourly bus service connecting the site to Wokingham and Reading town centres and railway stations. ​

Community Concerns and Opposition

 


A public meeting in Winnersh in 2023 revealed that many residents were previously unaware of the project's details, highlighting concerns about transparency that have persisted. The Save Our Loddon Valley Environment (SOLVE) group, argued that the development could lead to urban sprawl, erasing the countryside buffer between existing settlements. Paul Stevens of SOLVE expressed fears that the project might transform the area into a town the size of Winnersh without adequate infrastructure to support it.​

Political infighting further complicates the situation. The Conservative Party claims opposition to the Hall Farm proposal since 2022, despite its inclusion as a potential site in the Local Plan in 2021 during their tenure in charge of Wokingham Borough Council at the time of a Tory national government. Councillor Prue Bray of the Liberal Democrats accused Conservative figures of misleading the public, underscoring the project's political sensitivity. ​(Since it was originally planned, the LibDems have taken over as the majority party on Wokingham Borough Council).

The change of regime in Westminster has had little effect, with the new Labour government, if anything, more supportive of such large scale developments to address the perceived housing shortage in the South East and beyond and the Liberal Democrat majority of Wokingham Borough Council unable to oppose the plans in any meaningful way.

With the spectre of Arborfield Green looming long over the Loddon Garden Village plans, councillors have emphasized the necessity of ensuring that infrastructure keeps pace with development to avoid repeating past mistakes. 

The Road Ahead

The forthcoming outline applications, scheduled for submission in July 2025, will undergo scrutiny by Wokingham Borough Council, with public consultations to follow. In a debate at Wokingham Borough Council meeting on 20th March 2025, councillor Stephen Conway said: "We will be reviewing our approach to look at the opportunities there are to provide infrastructure in a timely manner, speaking with other councils to see whether any lessons can be learnt from their experiences."

He went on to insist that the authority would push for 'early, direct delivery' by developers rather than by the council.

Currently, developers usually contribute towards facilities through a community infrastructure levy, which is then used by the council to provide local facilities, However, the Council does have the option of entering into direct legal agreements with the developers, known as Section 106 Agreements, that stipulate what a developer must contribute in addition to building new homes.

As they say, 'watch this space...', as it rapidly fills in.