Plans for redevelopment of Thamesfield Retirement Village recommended for refusal
A planning application for redevelopment of part of the Thamesfield Retirement Village on the Wargrave Road has been submitted for a part demolition of existing building and replacement with a three-storey extension to provide extra-care units, with associated landscaping, vehicle parking, ancillary structures and alterations to existing basement.
The original plans were submitted in January and revised plans were received in September 2025 to Wokingham Borough Council.
In the letter accompanying the revised plans it states, “The roof form is now pitched, and the roofline has been set back. Dormer windows have been introduced which break up the massing of the top floor. The building now reads as being 2 and a half storeys rather than 3 storeys, with accommodation within the roof facilitated by the dormer windows. The roof form is now softer and also references the pitched roof forms elsewhere on the Site. The updated Accurate Visual Representations (AVRs) demonstrate that the amended design presents a softer building edge from
views across the river, and from the Remenham Henley Bridge Conservation Area.”
Wokingham Borough Council asked South Oxfordshire District Council and Henley Town Council to review the plans and comment on them.
SODC said, “We acknowledge and welcome the revisions to the scheme in relation to a reduction in the massing of the roof area of the development and the more traditional design approach. However, our concerns largely remain in relation to the development being disproportionate in scale, height and massing to the existing building and we remain concerned about the development being visually prominent from the river and the sensitive riverside edge of Henley to the detriment of the setting of the Henley Conservation Area.”
Henley Town Council added, “Recommend refusal due to overdevelopment of the site and impact on the visual amenity of the area.”
Over 40 local residents have also objected to the revised plans.
To review the plans go to https://planning.wokingham.gov.uk/FastWebPL/fulldetail.asp?AltRef=243125
The Henley Society also objected to the Thamesfield Application both in February in response to the original and on Monday 20 Oct in response to the amended plans. Our letters can be found under “comments” on the WBC website sit
i wholeheartedly agree with Henley Town Council’s submission re the view from the Henley side of the river. in addition, the change from the existing 2 storey bldg to 3 means the houses next door in Remenham Row will have their rooms, incl bedrooms, overlooked by Thames Village occupants.