The developer behind the thwarted Kennet Shopping centre redevelopment says it is taking legal advice to appeal the decision to reject the scheme made by planners at West Berkshire Council.
Lochialort says it ‘extremely disappointed’ with the decision.
“We have worked hard with officers and members over the last few years,” said Sarah Ballantyne-Way, planning director at Lochialort.
“Indeed, we agreed to withdraw our appeal of the previously refused scheme on the basis of reassurances given by the executive team at the council.
“We received a strong recommendation for approval from officers, with a thorough and extensive committee report that fully justified their recommendation.”
While the Liberal Democrat-led authority may have swerved the blame for approving the controversial mutli-storey block development, the new Government housing quotas may get it in the long grass.
West Berkshire now has a housing shortfall of circa 500 houses over the next five years, and the ‘tilted balance’ now applies in West Berkshire in favour of delivering housing, particularly in the most sustainable locations.
The £158m plans for 427 build to rent homes was refused on conservation grounds, in that it was felt the ‘wall of flats’ would ruin the character of Newbury, along with parking concerns and no affordable units in the bid.
“We are talking about the redevelopment of the most sustainable site in the district – a complex brownfield site containing an unloved carbuncle of a shopping centre at the end of its natural life,” added Ms Ballantyne-Way.
“The equivalent development on a greenfield site would take around 50 acres of land.
“The council has declared a climate emergency and can’t deliver enough housing.
“The redevelopment of this brownfield site would provide around a year’s worth of the council’s housing shortfall in a sustainable location, and that the equivalent number of units would take up around 50 acres of greenfield land with the traffic associated with edge of town locations.
“Despite this, members voted to refuse the scheme on matters that officers had thoroughly assessed and considered acceptable in their report.”
Lochialort Newbury beleives it has a robust case for appeal, with likelihood of full costs being awarded in its favour.