Plans for the Kennet Shopping Centre redevelopment in Newbury have been rejected by West Berkshire Council due to various concerns
Newbury: It’s another NO for the redevelopment of the Kennet Shopping Centre. The West Berkshire Council’s planning committee shot down the plans again during a lengthy meeting.
This was the third time in four months that the proposal faced rejection. Concerns about parking, lack of affordable homes, and the overall size of the development were major sticking points.
The committee spent four and a half hours discussing the plans, ultimately deciding they would harm the town’s character and conservation efforts.
They felt the development would ‘irreparably ruin’ Newbury’s look, calling it an ‘existential threat’ to the town’s charm.
Hugo Haig from Lochailort Developers argued that they had made adjustments, reducing the height from 11 stories to seven or eight. He insisted the design was considerate of the conservation area.
However, conservationists weren’t convinced. They pointed out that the proposed buildings would be massive and visible from key areas, like Market Street.
Public sentiment was strong, with over 1,100 signatures against the project collected by the Newbury Society. They described the proposed blocks as an ‘eight-storey canyon’ that would create wind tunnels.
Haig mentioned the development would cost around £158 million and highlighted the inclusion of 34 affordable shops. He claimed it would boost local spending by up to £8.5 million.
He also downplayed parking concerns, suggesting that residents of smaller flats might not own cars, referencing a similar project in Reading.
Despite the government’s push for more housing, the council’s policy requires 30% of the units to be affordable, which would mean 128 flats in this case.
Haig revealed that the proposed rents would range from £1,200 for a one-bedroom to £2,000 for a three-bedroom flat, which raised eyebrows.
In the end, even though the council’s officers recommended approval, the plans were rejected once again. Lochailort has yet to comment on what comes next.
