Compton Parish Council Objects to Reserved Matters Application for Former IAH Site

Compton Parish Council has submitted an objection to planning application 26/00261/RESMAJ, which sets out the detailed design for 160 new homes on the former Institute for Animal Health site.

The Council agreed to object based on:

• our Standing Statement on Foul Water Network Capacity (February 2026)
• the advice of our independent planning consultant

Below is a brief summary of the key reasons.

1. The foul water network is not able to cope

Compton’s sewer network already struggles during wet periods. In recent winters we have seen:

• tankers at the pumping station
• manholes surcharging
• sewage on Aldworth Road
• drains backing up at properties

Thames Water’s own information confirms that:

• the network only has capacity for the first 20 homes
• upgrades are required for the rest of the development
• the sewage treatment works upgrade is not due until autumn 2027

Because of this, the Parish Council has asked West Berkshire Council to reinstate the correct condition from the outline permission, which required no occupation of any homes until the foul water upgrades are complete.

2. Concerns about the design and layout

Our planning consultant has also raised several concerns about the detailed design, including:

• a car‑dominated layout with large areas of frontage and tandem parking
• repetition of house types and limited variation across the site
• small or awkwardly shaped gardens in several locations
• a layout that is less landscape‑led than the outline plans suggested

These issues affect the overall quality and character of the development.

Documents submitted to the planning officer

Below are the documents the Parish Council has provided to West Berkshire Council in support of its objection. These include our Standing Statement, the planning consultant’s detailed objection, drainage evidence, Thames Water documents, correspondence confirming the condition error, and video evidence of sewer surcharging.

• Submission Statement
• Detailed Objection – written by the council’s planning consultants
• Pirbright Institute Compton Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
• CPC Standing Statement on Foul Water Capacity
• Objection to Application 25/02791/COND Condition 30 – Foul Water Network Capacity
• SDS Consulting Technical Advice for 25/02791/COND
• Thames Water – Compton Groundwater Impacted System Management Plan
• Thames Water Response to 20/01336/OUTMAJ 10th July 2020 
• Thames Water Response to 20/01336/OUTMAJ 11th February 2022
• West Berkshire Council Complaint Correspondence 

Next steps

The Parish Council will continue to monitor the application and keep residents updated. Our aim is to ensure that any development in Compton is safe, sustainable, and reflects the character of our village.