Council not moving to New Greenham Park

West Berkshire Council leader, Graham Jones, has quashed rumours about an office merry-go-round

THE leader of West Berkshire Council has quashed speculation that the authority is to move to New Greenham Park as part of a plan to install Greenham Common Trust's arts operation at the site of a proposed multi million pound pavilion in Victoria Park, Newbury.

Claims made by the Newbury Labour party that an office merry-go-round would take place following completion of the controversial 22,000 sq ft arts pavilion, previously estimated to cost in excess of £6 million, were dismissed by Graham Jones (Con, Lambourn) as false.

Mr Jones also stated the pavilion project, drawn up as part of plans to redevelop the wharf area as a whole, would not go ahead if deemed unpopular.

“I have seen some of the nonsense that is around on the web. The council is not moving its offices to Greenham Park,” Mr Jones said.

“The council is consolidating and downsizing into two main sites - West St House and Market Street.

“Market Street is owned by the council, and West St House is being bought. Overall there will be a net saving of £120,000 on accommodation costs as well as a future public asset.”

He added: “I would reiterate our commitment that the project (pavillion) will not go ahead unless it has broad support from the people of Newbury.”

Greenham Common Trust had previously indicated a desire to move its New Greenham Arts operation into the new pavilion, which was partly designed around its requirements, due to the dilapidation of its current facilities at New Greenham Park.

Despite public backing for the pavilion project in 2007, of the 2,000 people who attended an exhibition of the plans over three days in November 2009, only 50 per cent supported the idea.

It has stalled since December 2009 when the district councillor responsible for steering it, Pamela Bale (Con, Pangbourne), said it would be “reviewed” following a public consultation exercise.

This week Mrs Bale said the council is currently discussing how the project might be taken forward, as it remains a key element of Vision 2025.

Newbury Labour Party spokesman Richard Garvie said given the size and cost of the project at a time when money was tight, it was worrying that so little information had been published.

The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Roger Hunneman (Victoria) echoed the criticism.

“It will certainly be helpful to have more information on the status of the project from the council,” he said.

He added: “I was an advocate of the pavilion project at first but now we are seeing Parkway come to fruition I am starting to see we are losing green space and am certainly less than enthusiastic about the pavilion now.”

He added that a town centre task group was due to discuss the issue in the near future, but had not been informed of any date.