Mayor backs historian's Marsh Lane right of way campaign

THE Mayor of Newbury has thrown his weight behind a local historian’s campaign to have the public right of way to one of the town’s most historic roads re-instated.
West Berkshire Council gave away both the freehold and public right of way to Marsh Lane to Parkway developers Standard Life Investments in 2007.
Back in September last year, the Newbury News reported that historian and Newbury resident Dr. David Peacock had demanded that the council reverses it’s decision and now, he has written to Newbury MP Richard Benyon on the matter.
At a Newbury Town Council annual town meeting on Monday, Dr. Peacock said: “I want members of the public to join with me in asking West Berkshire Council to reverse this decision to make sure that access to a road that has existed for centuries is maintained.”
In response, the Mayor of Newbury Anthony Pick supported Dr. Peacock’s request and vowed to “never give up” on getting access re-instated.
He said: “This council fully supports this and my personal view is that removing the right of way was an error.
“That is our position and we will be pursuing it. We have had discussions with the chief executive about this and we are not going to give up.”
Dr. Peacock - along with everyone else - only became aware that the public had lost its legal right of way to the road, which acts as one of the entrances into the Parkway centre, when presenter Michael Portillo and his TV crew were moved on when filming 12 months ago.
The broadcaster and his crew were filming Jack of Newbury’s house, the former home of one of Newbury’s most famous residents, John Winchcombe, for the BBC 2 programme Great British Railway Journeys - but were moved on on the grounds that they did not have permission from Standard Life Investments to film.
Dr Peacock has also re-iterated his concerns about the consultation process, claiming that the council did not hold a consultation when it gave away the freehold.
Last September, a spokeswoman for West Berkshire Council, Peta Stoddart-Crompton, said: “The council has responded to Mr Peacock with a detailed letter, which explains the consultation processes undertaken by both the council and Standard Life.
“It also outlines the approval that was given by the Secretary of State confirming that Marsh Lane legitimately formed part of the ‘stopping up order’ that ran with the Compulsory Purchase Order for the land on which the shopping centre now stands.”
Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News this week, Dr. Peacock said: “Taking away public access to the Jack of Newbury’s house is like London taking away access to the Tower of London in terms of its historical significance.. When people found out they were puzzled and astonished.”
He added that he was at a “complete loss” to understand how the council has not addressed the issue 12 months on, calling their lack of intervention “outrageous”.