The Kennet Centre redevelopment faces challenges, particularly around parking and affordable housing concerns
Newbury: The Kennet Centre redevelopment is back on the agenda for West Berkshire Council. Tomorrow, they’ll discuss it again, and parking is likely to be a hot topic.
There’s been a lot of chatter about the plans, especially since some folks are worried it won’t include any affordable housing. Others think it’ll make Newbury look too much like Reading, which isn’t a good look for our market town.
Last time, they tried to approve the 427 flats, but it turned into a marathon meeting that lasted over four hours. They just couldn’t get it done. Now, they really need to make a decision this week. If they give it the green light, we’re looking at a construction site for the next three and a half years.
And here’s the kicker: all those new flats are planned as buy-to-rent, which means no affordable options. Louise Sturgess from the Lib Dems called it a big failure, especially with the pressing need for affordable housing in West Berkshire.
As for parking, the council’s highways team says traffic won’t be worse than when the Kennet Centre was bustling. But they admit there will be more congestion during rush hours.
They plan to have two access points for the new development, which should help. They’re also proposing 475 parking spaces, just enough to meet the requirement. But here’s the catch: those spaces need to work for both residents and shoppers, which complicates things.
Surveys show that this dual-use plan might work during the week, but weekends could be a different story. If it gets crowded, drivers might have to park at the railway station, which has some empty spots on weekends.
They’re also looking to update the signage around town to help people find available parking, but that’ll cost about a million pounds, split between the council and the developer.
Professor David Peacock from The Newbury Society isn’t convinced. He thinks the parking plan is inadequate and won’t encourage people to use public transport. The current multi-storey car park has 415 spaces, but that number would drop if the new plan goes through.
Some councillors see positives in the application, like improving the street scene, but others are worried about the size of the development overshadowing historic buildings. They’re also concerned that new residents might not want to pay for parking permits, leading to parking issues elsewhere.
Visitors might not be thrilled about being sent to park far away, either. Councillor Adrian Abbs pointed out that the proposal doesn’t meet many council policies and could negatively impact the town’s character.
On the flip side, Councillor Richard Somner believes the design is solid and that the area needs a refresh. He thinks the Kennet Centre has been looking a bit shabby for too long.
So, the planning committee will have a lot to chew on when they meet on Wednesday.
