Revised plans for apartments submitted for Chapel Street, Thatcham
AMENDED plans to build flats on the site of historic Thatcham buildings have been submitted.
Young Estates and Land Ltd has applied to partially demolish 14 and 16 Chapel Street and construct nine one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom homes.
The site lies between the Thatcham Court BUPA care home to the west, Thatcham Methodist Church to the east and The Henrys to the north.
The Aldermaston-based applicant said the area was "well bounded by existing development and presents the last remaining plot to be developed in the island created by the intersection of Chapel Street, Park Avenue and Park Lane".
It added that the highly sustainable central location presented "an interesting opportunity to create a high quality, sustainable development".
Young Estates and Land failed to gain planning permission for 17 flats on the site earlier this year following West Berkshire Council refusal and a planning appeal ruling against it.
The council refused the application for seven reasons, including the heritage of the site, the impact on the care home, a lack of affordable housing and highways access.
The applicant said it had submitted the revised plans in light of the refusals.
Access had been proposed via Chapel Street from a 3.7m wide route, which the Planning Inspectorate said was inadequate and would impact on highway safety.
The amended plans say that 16 Chapel Street would be partially demolished to provide a larger access road, however the documents later say "the existing access point will be retained and widened with the three dwellings which front the site undergoing partial demolition to provide two larger dwellings".
Planning documents said that although the existing properties date from the mid 1800s, they are neither listed or within the town's conservation area. Furthermore they are in need of modernisation and offer "a very cramped living environment".
All properties have been provided with some form of outdoor amenity space, ranging from private gardens or use of a shared external space.
The applicant said that although the amenity space does not meet the suggested sizes recommended by the council, it would be in keeping with the location and character of the development.
The built footprint of the proposal has been reduced by 35 per cent from 475 sq m to 310 sq m, which the applicant said would allow for "a much greener, garden orientated development with high quality landscaping".
The heigh of the central buildings has been reduced and redesigned to address issues of overlooking and 14 car parking spaces are provided.
The plans can be viewed by entering 21/01698/FULMAJ into West Berkshire Council's planning website.
