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Could Hungerford Marina finally become a reality?





A family owned company has bought the land and has submitted new blueprints to West Berkshire Council planners.
The project was first awarded planning permission in 2004 following a 12-year battle with campaigners opposed to such an amenity.
The site, off the A4 Bath Road, is almost opposite Cobbs Farm Shop and Kitchen, was originally home to 7,000 pigs.
By 2007 it was owned by Shaw Park Developments, a joint venture between St Modwen Properties PLC and the vendor, the Wills family.
Work began to construct a 120-berth waterside metropolis with hotel, restaurant, heritage museum and small business units sitting alongside the marina.
But by 2008, developers were being forced to deny that the project had stalled.
And by the end of the year, marina project manager Peter Davies admitted his company was still in talks with contractors and added: “The talks are not being helped by the economy at the moment, but I hope within the next few weeks we will have signed an agreement.”
That never happened and the site has been undeveloped ever since.
That was good news for opponents of the scheme, including Tim Williams, a member of Friends of Freeman's Marsh, who said at the time: “The main objection of our group was to the marina, because of all the pollution it would cause for Freeman's Marsh and the River Kennet. My view is that it is not the right thing for that area.
“The canal has always been short of water, and every time you open the lock more water is lost, so that would be a problem. Once it has been lost from the locks, canal water runs into the River Kennet, which would be terrible for wildlife.”
However the new owners, the Lake District-based Lakeland Leisure Group, are determined to press ahead.
Spokeswoman for the company, Claire Morgan, said: “Our company has been established for 25 years and we want our development to benefit the whole town.”
She said that a fresh application had been submitted to West Berkshire planners - unavailable for public viewing as the Hungerford edition of the Newbury Weekly News went to press .
Ms Morgan added: “The marinas in our portfolio are modern, leading edge, in prime locations with the focus on narrowboats. We’re not interested in developing hotels, restaurants and bars at the site.
“We want to focus on the quality of the marina itself - we want to provide a prestigious site catering mainly for narrowboats. There will be a reception building, sales office and chandlery.”
She went on: “The fact that we’re not providing hotel and bar facilities will, we believe, benefit the local economy. People will use local shops and businesses.”
If the new project is granted planning permission, Ms Morgan said work was ready to begin straight away and that contracts with contractors had already been drawn up.
However, the project would be a major one since it would involve dredging the marina basin before contruction.
Lakeland Leisure Group website, which includes details of existing marinas, is at


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