Little Beirut to become housing estate
After a decade of dilapidation a Calcot shopping centre site is to make way for homes
CHEERS and applause from the public gallery inside the Calcot Centre last night (Wednesday) greeted a decision to allow developers to build homes on a dilapidated shopping site in the suburb which has been an eyesore for over a decade.
Bellway Homes were granted permission to build 39 homes consisting of two, three and four-bedroom houses, and two apartments, at the Underwood Road site in Calcot by the West Berkshire Council Eastern Area Planning Committee following two years of wrangling over the make-up of the proposals.
In December the developers had an application to build a four-storey block of flats thrown out, much to the delight of nearby residents and Holybrook Parish Council who have campaigned long and hard for a suitable proposal to find a home on the site.
The privately-owned Underwood Road shopping area fell into such a state of disrepair it was described by locals as “little Beirut” due to anti-social behaviour, graffiti and economic decline within the area.
The shopping centre which had previously stood was the subject of an arson attack in 2001, and over time other business moved away leaving the “ugly” site
The site has been earmarked for a retail unit, doctors surgery, and 74 one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Having spoken against Bellway's plans in December, resident Marius Hopley, who has lived opposite Underwood Road for 16 years, called for the council to approve the plans, which he said would enhance the area and bring new families into the community.
The chairwoman of Holybrook Parish Council Mary Bedwell, also spoke out in support of the development, but said the loss of a retail unit was a sticking point.
She said discussions with the local community were underway to set up a volunteer-run shop to solve the loss of a retail unit in Bellway's proposals, similar to the efforts of Bradfield Southend who saved their village store and Post Office from closure by running a community campaign.
Despite concerns by committee members Alan Law (Con, Basildon), who is the West Berkshire Council executive member for housing, and Millie Lock (Lib Dem, Mortimer) over the lack of affordable homes within the proposals, and the impact on nearby schools, the plans were voted through unanimously.
Reading West MP Alok Sharma was also in attendance, having campaigned on the side of the residents for several years to see the right plans for the site.
After the meeting he said: "I applaud West Berkshire Council for their common sense approach in approving this application which will result in a development in keeping with the local area and finally restore a site which has been an eyesore for years. I have had an opportunity to work on this issue with some of the local residents, like Marius Hopley, Elaine Rosier and Alan Jewell, who have all campaigned so hard to deliver a development which makes sense for the local community and I take my hat off to them for their perseverance."
