Plans for 'Indie' shops in Market Street development

Retail units in flagship scheme will be ideal for local businesses, developer says

DEVELOPER Grainger said it wants independent retailers to occupy the commercial units included in theMarket Street scheme.

Nine new ‘flexible’ retails units have been proposed for the flagship scheme, which is set to be completed by the summer of 2021, Grainger confirmed this week.

The latest update on the 232-home ‘urban village’ development also specifies that the project – a partnership between West Berkshire Council, Grainger and Network Rail – will be carried out in five phases.

Grainger will take possession of the site in December once West Berkshire Council has opened the new bus station at the Wharf, before a proper start on site is made in January 2019.

The work will involve dramatically altering the town’s southern gateway with a series of multi-storey apartment blocks built between Newbury railway station and Market Street.

The scheme will also provide a 497-space multi-storey car park, 180 resident parking spaces, new parking provision for the Quaker (Friends) Meeting House, an improved station approach road and a new echo circle in its existing location north of the council offices.

The latest update on the flagship scheme was given by Grainger representatives Chris Fletcher and Rebecca Crow at the conference.

Ms Crow told delegates the retail units would be a “range of sizes”.

She said: “We’re really keen to get independent businesses, so we’d be keen to talk to anyone with any ideas people have for what would make a great use of the units on the site.”

In September, Grainger appointed ENGIE Regeneration as the main building contractor for the scheme, which will deliver 232 rented flats in buildings up to six-storeys in height, intended for the private rental sector.

A 490-space multi-storey car park is also being built on the site of the current bus station, for station users and council workers.

The first phase, from January to April 2019, will involve demolishing the existing buildings on site and preparing a temporary car park for station customers and council staff.

The temporary car park will be open around April 2019, by which time construction works will start including the new multi-storey car park and first three residential blocks alongside the council offices.

Once the multi-storey car park is complete and in operation, which is anticipated for March 2020, the temporary car park will be closed down and construction on the rest of the start will be able to begin.

The first residential homes will be complete in January 2021 on the west of the site and construction access will be from Market Street.

The rest of the homes and the public ground areas will be completed in phases, with the scheme complete by the summer of 2021.