IKEA superstore hit by delays
Plans for a new multi-million pound superstore in Calcot have yet to satisfy West Berkshire Council officers
PLANS to build a new multi-million pound IKEA superstore in West Berkshire have been hit with delays.
Despite gaining approval from Reading Borough Council planning chiefs in June, the Swedish furniture chain's planning application for Calcot has yet to satisfy West Berkshire Council's planning teams or Highways Agency officers.
Such is the enormity of the application, which already contains over 1,200 planning documents, including letters of representation, retail reports and other correspondence, no date has been set for the plans to go in front of the West Berkshire Council eastern area planning committee.
Earlier in the year the firm pledged £4 million to improve the road network around the site and Reading Borough Council stipulated as part of its approval that the issues surrounding the roads and bus routes would need to be addressed.
The firm would not comment when questioned whether the complexity of re-shaping works required on the nearby Junction 12 of the M4 was contributing to any of the delays.
Roger Cooper, IKEA's project manager for the proposed store, said: “Following the submission of our planning application to West Berkshire Council earlier this year, we are continuing to work closely with West Berkshire District Council and the Highways Agency to clarify and improve solutions proposed within our application. Once a decision has been reached we will be in a position to update all stakeholders.”
A spokesman for West Berkshire Council, Phil Spray, said: “The applicant is in the process of preparing revised plans for consideration.
“We expect them to submit these shortly and the amended plans will then be subject to the usual consultation.”
IKEA bought the 140,000 sq ft Pincents Lane and Berkshire Retail Park site in Calcot in December 2009 intending to build a store to the north of Pincents Lane, and a 1,400 space multi-storey car park to the south with an overhead connecting walkway.
The application for the three-storey store is on land next to the Sainsbury's superstore on the site of Homebase, Carpet Right, a bowling alley and two empty retail warehouses.
As well as the multi-storey car park, a cafe, crèche facilities and a bus interchange in the front of the store are also proposed.
