First images: Newbury's new traffic free street to town from Kennet Centre
Plans have been submitted to West Berkshire Council
THE Newbury Weekly News can reveal the first images of a new street that will be created as part of the Kennet Shopping centre redevelopment.
The street will be traffic-free and provide a fully pedestrianised link from Market Street, all the way through the new development and into the town centre.
It will also create new public spaces that can be used for outdoor dining, live music and other events.
Managing director of developer Lochailort, Hugo Haig, said: “The creation of this new street will provide the missing link between the railway station, Market Street to the centre of town and Market Place.
“Having a new pedestrian street completely free of traffic will create a wonderful atmosphere as a result of new independent shops, cafés and restaurants that can use the outdoor space and will add a leisure dimension to the town.”
Newbury Business Improvement District (BID), which is responsible for the management of the town centre, has voiced its formal support of the new streets and connectivity.
Lochailort has submitted two virtually identical planning applications to West Berkshire Council for a comprehensive redevelopment of the mall.
The plans will see the centre transformed into a mixed-use, sustainable development, featuring 402 new multi-family build-to-rent apartments, private sale homes, HQ offices and an incubator TechHub.
The scheme will also deliver 30 flexible shops, restaurants and co-working spaces, with a focus on attracting local, independent and artisan businesses.
The shops will be just 500 sq ft each with very little back of house space, designed to help keep business rates to a minimum and attract upcoming and interesting occupiers.
Every apartment will have access to a variety of roof gardens, lounges, leisure and meeting spaces, and almost all will have their own balcony or private terrace.
Residents will also have their own onsite gym and, in a first for Newbury, a dedicated squash court.
In acknowledgement of Newbury’s industrial history, the development will be named Eagle Quarter, after Plenty’s Eagle Iron
Works, which was previously located on the site.
