Developer criticises slow ‘planning bureaucracy’

Paul Oldring of SPO Properties says Thatcham should have had its new restaurant before Christmas

THE head of a development company has blamed council planning bureaucracy for his restaurant not being opened yet in Thatcham town centre.

Paul Oldring, of SPO Properties, said last year that he hoped to turn the former Threshers site at the corner of High Street and the Broadway into a restaurant by Christmas.

However, he said that because the condition of the kitchen extraction had yet to be finalised, he could not start work on the building yet – even though planning permission was granted in May last year.

He claimed that the problem of slow and unhelpful planners was a national problem and not just a problem at West Berkshire Council.

He said that it would put people off wanting to develop empty units and added: "It's frustrating in very difficult times.

“That's what's worrying people about developing town centres."

He said that he was now planning on starting work in about 10 days on the restaurant development without full permission and that he would deal with the problem of the conditions of the extraction when it came to it.

He said: “I cannot wait any longer – we have agreed everything but that.

“This is a job that should have been finished two years ago.”

So far Mr Oldring has started work on building a shop behind what will be the new restaurant.

This is not the first time Mr Oldring has clashed with planners.

Back in 2010, he threatened to turn the site into a massage parlour after several attempts to gain planning permission for a restaurant failed.

After his final attempt at the restaurant three years later, he gained his permission.