Cold Ash Parish Council

01/09/2026

🚧 West Berkshire Council Road Closure Notice – Fishers Lane, Cold Ash 🚧

Please be aware that Fishers Lane will be closed on Wednesday 9 September 2026 from 9:00am to 4:30pm to allow urgent tree works to be carried out.

📍 Closure location: From the junction with Hermitage Road to the junction with B4009 Long Lane.

✅ Residential access will be maintained where possible.
✅ Blue light/emergency vehicle access will be available.

The works are being undertaken by Connick Tree Care on behalf of West Berkshire Council.

For more information and diversion details, please visit:
🔗

20/08/2026

WBC update: the below works has been rescheduled to 7th September – 6th November 2026 due to delays in the program.
Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

🚦 Planned Temporary Traffic Lights on Cold Ash Hill 🚦

West Berkshire Council (WBC) has advised that temporary traffic lights will be in place on Cold Ash Hill from 31 August to 30 October 2026 while Southern Gas Networks undertakes gas main connection and service works.

📍 Location: From outside Ayando to outside Wakefield
⏰ Duration: 24 hours a day, from 31 August to 30 October 2026

WBC appreciates that a two-month period of traffic management will be concerning for residents and road users. However, due to the nature and extent of the works, this duration is required to complete the project safely and efficiently.

To help reduce disruption:

✅ The working area will be restricted to a maximum length of 100 metres at any one time.
✅ Temporary traffic signals will be manually controlled during peak periods between 07:30–09:00 and 15:30–19:00, Monday to Friday, to help maintain traffic flow and minimise congestion.
✅ As the works progress, the traffic management will be reduced from multi-way signals to two-way signals where possible.

WBC will continue to monitor the works and liaise with the contractor to keep disruption to a minimum wherever possible.

For further information, please contact Southern Gas Networks on 0800 912 1700 or visit

18/08/2026

17/08/2026

📚Did you know that Thatcham Library is now open for longer on Saturdays?

📣At the Cold Ash Annual Parish Meeting in March this year, residents told us that we should continue to help support the local library service and that we should do that by helping extend the opening hours on Saturdays. We're really pleased to say that is now happening ✅👏

A reminder that Thatcham Library will now be open for an additional hour on Saturdays, from 9.30am-1.00pm. This exciting development has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Cold Ash Parish Council, which has provided financial backing for the increase in hours.

Whether you’d like to borrow a book, these extended hours mean more opportunities to explore and benefit from the library’s offerings. Families can also take this chance to discover our children’s section or join in on some of the weekly activities.

We’re delighted to make visiting the library even more convenient for our community and hope to see you soon.

13/08/2026

🚗 Cold Ash Parish Council Residents' Survey: Road Safety & Selective 20mph Speed Limits 🚗

Earlier this year, West Berkshire Council consulted on introducing a blanket 20mph speed limit across Cold Ash Parish. While 89 residents responded and the overall feedback was predominantly against the proposal, Cold Ash Parish Council would like to better understand whether there is support for targeted 20mph speed limits in specific locations where road safety may be a concern.

The Parish Council has already adopted a position supporting a 20mph limit on roads immediately outside Cold Ash Primary School and St Mark's School. This survey seeks residents' views on that proposal and invites suggestions for any other locations within the parish where a selective 20mph limit could improve safety.

📝 Your feedback will help inform the Parish Council's future discussions and representations to West Berkshire Council.

📢 A separate survey on traffic flow, congestion and the impact of future development within the parish will follow.

⏳ The survey is open until 30 September 2026.

Please take a few minutes to share your views by completing the survey here:

05/08/2026

📢 Cold Ash Parish Council Meeting - Tuesday 11 August 2026

Residents are welcome to attend the next meeting of Cold Ash Parish Council on:

📅 Tuesday 11 August 2026
🕖 7:15pm
📍 Committee Room, Acland Hall

There will be up to 15 minutes of public participation at the start of the meeting for residents to raise questions or make comments on matters affecting the parish.

Please note that there are no planning applications for consideration at this meeting. The Council will, however, be noting recent planning decisions and discussing other planning-related matters, including the West Berkshire Local Plan Scoping Consultation.

Other items on the agenda include:
✅ Project updates (including the Sculpture Trail, Community Engagement, Traffic & Transport, and Knights Grove play area transfer)
✅ Finance and budget monitoring
✅ Play area inspections and improvements
✅ West Berkshire Council Service Delivery Offers
✅ Lawrences Lane traffic arrangements
✅ Parish Council vacancies and co-option opportunities
✅ Clerk's and Councillors' reports

The full agenda is available at https://coldashparishcouncil.gov.uk/meetings/

We look forward to seeing you there. 👋

Cold Ash Parish Council holds two meetings a month which are open to members of the public. The agendas detail what will be discussed at a meeting.

03/08/2026

🚧 Temporary Road Closure – The Ridge 🚧

Please be aware that The Ridge will be closed 24 hours a day from 19 to 21 August 2026 to allow Thames Water to carry out a manifold exchange in the carriageway.

📍 Location: Outside Beechcroft, between the junction with Collaroy Road and the junction with Cold Ash Bridleway 20.

✅ Residential access will be maintained
✅ Emergency (blue light) access will be maintained

For more information, including the diversion route, please visit:
🔗 https://one.network/?tmi=GB45787977

If you have any questions about the works, please contact Thames Water on 0800 316 9800

09/07/2026

📢 Cold Ash Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 14 July 2026 📢

Residents are invited to attend the next meeting of Cold Ash Parish Council on Tuesday 14 July 2026 at 7.15pm in the Committee Room, Acland Hall.

There will be a 15-minute public participation session at the start of the meeting, giving residents the opportunity to raise questions and share comments with councillors.

A key item on the agenda is the planning appeal for Sylvan House, Fishers Lane (Appeal 6006420 / Planning Ref: 25/02851/OUT). The appeal relates to an outline application for a serviced self-build plot on land adjacent to Sylvan House, with access, landscaping and layout under consideration. This item was deferred from the Parish Council meeting held on 23 June 2026.

The Council will also receive project updates, consider grant applications from local organisations, review finance matters, discuss the West Berkshire Winter Service Plan consultation and consider recommendations following play area inspections.

📍 Venue: Committee Room, Acland Hall, Cold Ash
🕖 Time: 7.15pm, Tuesday 14 July 2026

The full agenda is available on the Parish Council website. https://coldashparishcouncil.gov.uk/meetings/

06/07/2026

Join us for a special Summer Reading Challenge launch event with children’s poet extraordinaire A.F. Harrold at Newbury Library on Saturday 11 July, 2-3pm.

Children are invited to take part in a fun-filled event as A.F. Harrold shares his silly, surprising, and sometimes sensible poems! It will be a lively, interactive poetry experience for children aged 5+, followed by a chance to join the Read to the Beat Summer Reading Challenge.

Tickets: £3 per child. Adults are not required to book a ticket, all children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
To book a place: https://tinyurl.com/wberkslibraries36

29/06/2026

**UPDATE**:
this closure is no longer taking place as the works have been cancelled.

🚧 Road Closure Notice – Gladstone Lane 🚧
Please be aware of a temporary road closure on Gladstone Lane:
📍 Location: Between the junction with Johnsons Lane and the junction with Collaroy Road
📅 Dates: 20th – 24th July 2026
⏰ Times: 24 hours a day
Reason for works: Openreach will be carrying out test rod and rope works, cabling installation, and blockage clearance.
👷 Works Promoter: Openreach
🏗️ Contractor: Circet UK
📞 Contact: 07788 828636
✅ Residential access will be maintained where possible.
✅ Blue light/emergency vehicle access will be maintained.
For further information, including diversion routes, please visit:
🔗