Waingels College land transfer
We and Waingels College, in Woodley, have been in talks with Thames Water about transferring a small area of land within the college’s boundary to Thames Water so it can build a pumping station to benefit nearby houses.
Because this involves school land, the Department for Education requires us to consult you. The land concerned is at the far end of the school playing field, as shown in the photo and on the plan to the left.
The amount of land is very small in relation to the size of the college grounds and will not affect sports provision at the college.
Taking on this land will allow Thames Water to build a waste water pumping station, connecting 12 properties along Waingels Road to the mains sewer network. These currently connect to septic tanks, which in recent years have flooded during heavy rainfall and caused pollution.
The Environment Agency has asked Thames Water to find a solution to the problem. This project would greatly reduce the risk of further pollution in the area, providing residents and the school with immediate benefits.
Local residents, Charvil Parish Councill, Waingels College and MP Theresa May all fully support the idea, as do we, having been in consultation with Thames Water since 2014.
Full planning consent was granted for this project on 1 September 2021. Details of the planning application can be found on our planning portal.
The land currently serves no operational purpose and is marginal scrubland at the north-eastern end of the school's site. Building the pumping station will take about five months and once it's finished, the site will be secured with welded mesh fencing and a locked access gate for the safety of students and the wider public.
If you have any comments or queries about the proposed land transfer, please contact Amanda Dennis, senior surveyor at Wokingham Borough Council, or email propertyservices@wokingham.gov.uk. Any comments must be made by 28 February 2023.
Should you have any questions about the pumping station scheme itself, email Thames Water's agent at freddie.unwin@brutonknowles.co.uk