Lochailort have submitted a new planning application to re-develop the Kennet Centre in Newbury (and have withdrawn their earlier appeal). 

The image above illustrates the developer’s new proposals for the Cheap Street frontage showing the Catherine Wheel pub, part of the ex-Save-the-Children shop, with the flats behind.

In Lochailort’s new plans for the Kennet Centre the 10-storey blocks of flats have become 8 storeys, the 6-storey section of street frontage on Bartholomew Street has become 5 storeys and the central office block has become an additional 8-storey block of flats.

Lochailort have made very few concessions to the concerns previously highlighted by the Newbury Society, and these do little to address the overall concerns about excess height and mass within an area of mainly two- and three-storey buildings. 

Other major issues remain:

·         The design of the high-rise blocks is at odds with the architecture of Newbury town centre.

·         Parking of just 83 dedicated spaces (WBC policy says it should be 471).

·         19 affordable flats, and even then “subject to viability” (WBC policy says it should be 128)

·         6,845 sq.m of amenity space for the 426 flats (WBC policy says it should be 10,650 sq.m).

The Newbury Society believes that any one of the above should be grounds for refusal of the scheme.

Details and images of the plans (23/02094/FULMAJ) can be found on the Newbury Society’s website (newbury-society.org.uk), as well as the West Berkshire Council planning website.  The Newbury Society is not opposed to redeveloping the Kennet Centre, but believe the current application by Lochailort, with its sheer scale and mass, would be damaging to Newbury.

The Newbury Society urges Newbury residents to send in objections and sign the petition.  If you care about Newbury, please add your name to this new petition opposing this development, and forward the link to friends, family, and anyone else you think might be interested. We encourage people to sign as soon as they can.

Eleanor Mullens on behalf of the Newbury Society