Market Street plans unveiled

Proposals for a "new gateway" to Newbury

THESE pictures show how Newbury’s Market Street may look in the future.

The proposals for up to 200 new homes, a new multi-storey car park and improved access to the town centre from the train station were unveiled last week.

Buildings proposed at the high-rise development will range from two stories to six stories high and be a mixture of houses and apartments.

There will also be new investment and big changes to the area around the existing railway station.

The station approach and the forecourt area on the north side of the station will be redeveloped with taxi stands, improved drop-off and cycle facilities.

A new street, narrower than both Cheap Street and Bartholomew Street, is proposed to be created from the station to the town, alongside stepping stones from the station

A new multi-storey car park is proposed to be built, alongside underground parking for residents and a new community café or convenience store.

Architects John Thompson & Partners (JTP) described Market Street currently as “the missing tooth in Newbury’s smile”, adding that regeneration of the site would create a “new gateway to the town”.

The 5.5 acre, town centre site has been earmarked for development since 2006 and was outlined in West Berkshire Council’s Newbury Vision 2026, the over-arching planning document for the town.

However, the appointment of developer Grainger sparked controversy when it was revealed that the land, previously owned by West Berkshire Council and valued to be worth £3.9m in 2013, was given to the developers at no cost.

Speaking at the unveiling of the masterplan last Thursday, Marcus Adams, of JTP, said: “We want people to be able to walk into the urban village and feel it is a part of the town, not something that has landed there.”

The vision of a “new urban village” came in the same week that Kennet Shopping, Newbury’s oldest shopping centre located next to Market Street, was put up for sale for £18.5m.

Reference to the Kennet Centre’s future and to its position in the town was alluded to in the presentation into the Market Street plans last Thursday, when it was described as “Newbury’s Berlin Wall”.

The slide in the presentation contained a quote from a member of the public which said: “The Kennet Centre looks like the Berlin Wall! But even the Berlin Wall came down… unexpectedly!”

And Charles Campion, of JTP pointedly told the audience: “Who knows what might happen in the future to the Kennet Centre?”

As previously announced, West Berkshire Council is proposing to relocate the existing bus station to The Wharf as part of the regeneration.

A detailed planning application will now be prepared for the site, which is expected to be submitted to West Berkshire Council by the end of 2015.

If approved, work on the site could start by 2017.

For more details on the Market Street redevelopment and the sale of Kennet Shopping, see page four.