Delevoper hopes it's third time lucky for former Travis Perkins site
The plans, for 37 residential units as well as a total of 1,500.4sqm of business/offices in a residential area (B1) with associated car parking, cycle parking, landscaping, access and infrastructure, have been submitted by the Calcot-based Barton Willmore Partnership on behalf of David Wilson Homes (Southern) for the Mill Lane site.
In 2010, an application was submitted for 87 mixed one- and two-bedroom houses and flats at the site, but this was withdrawn last year amid concerns by local residents of the impact of the development on the local road network.
The following year, David Wilson Homes (Southern) came back with a revised plan for 54 dwellings, which included 23 live-work units with distinct office space, 16 affordable homes and associated works.
These plans were refused by West Berkshire Council as members would not go against the council’s policy of retaining existing employment sites.
In its latest application, David Wilson Homes has made specific reference to business offices, as well as housing, in a bid to keep a chunk of the land as a specific employment site.
District council ward member David Allen (Lib Dem, Victoria) said that there was currently 93,000 sq ft of office space vacant in Newbury town centre. He had said that the plan for 87 houses would cause awful traffic, but that the second proposal for 54 dwellings was “a really good idea”.
Now he said: “We don't need more office space but we are desperate to get housing in. There’s no need for more office space in that part of town.”
West Berkshire Council is expected to make a final decision on the application by the end of July. It is due to be discussed by Newbury Town Council's planning and highways committee on Monday.