Delay over decision for former Travis Perkins site

A decision on plans to build 54 homes on the Mill Lane site will be made by a new planning committee in June

A DECISION on plans to build 54 homes at the former Travis Perkins site in Mill Lane, Newbury, will now be made by a new planning committee after next month's local elections.

Despite councillors on the western area planning committee spending more than two hours discussing and debating the planning application last Wednesday (April 13) before passing a motion to refuse it, a final decision will now be made by the district planning committee, which could include newcomers to the planning system as the next scheduled meeting is not until June 8.

The plans, which were submitted by David Wilson Homes Limited and include 23 live-work units with distinct office space, 16 affordable homes and associated works, were recommended for refusal by West Berkshire Council planning officers owing to concerns over the impact of approval on the council's planning policy to retain identified key employment sites (ECON 1).

Officers also had concerns over the layout massing and scale and the lack of on-site parking, although prior to the meeting, the applicants had informally submitted revisions to the parking plan to provide 107 parking spaces on site, as opposed to the 68 proposed within the existing plan.

However, as the revisions had not been through an appropriate re-consultation period, councillors were told they could not consider them as a formal revision to the planning application.

Subsequently, the committee passed a motion to refuse the application in its current form and referenced it up to the district planning committee for a final decision, despite support from the West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and the fact that some councillors admitted they liked the scheme as it could potentially see more people working on the site than the 18 people who previously worked at Travis Perkins.

Ward member Roger Hunneman said: “When you look at the area, this is a site which should naturally be housing.

“It is a large site and it needs to have something useful on it quickly.

“I think this is an excellent scheme and I would like to see it here.”

However, Mr Hunneman said he felt the area would benefit from a higher ratio of parking as he said his ward suffered with “immense on-street parking problems.”

As a result, six councillors supported a motion to refuse the application with the ECON 1 reason for refusal removed, while three councillors voted against the motion.

After the meeting, West Berkshire Council spokesman, Phil Spray, said it should be possible to process the amended plans before they are considered by the district planning committee.