Mixed reaction for Blue Ball plans
Hackwood Homes Limited has submitted plans to demolish the pub building to make way for housing
FRESH plans to demolish a 19th century pub in Newbury to make way for housing have received a mixed reaction.
A planning application was recently submitted by Hackwood Homes Limited to demolish The Blue Ball in Greenham Road and replace it with eight houses, including two semi-detached two-bedroom houses and six three-bedroom houses, together with 12 parking spaces.
This is the fifth application in recent years, although previous applications to knock down the pub and build housing have all been unsuccessful, with local residents, councillors and the West Berkshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) criticising the proposals.
But the local views are more amiable this time around as the pub, which has stood since 1830 and is not listed, has been closed since March, with the application stating that the business was running at a serious loss.
On Monday (August 15), Newbury Town Council's planning and highways committee discussed the latest application, with local resident Elizabeth Burgess expressing her support in principle, although she said she would like to see 16 spaces instead of 12 to help ease parking problems in the area.
Town councillors were split on the proposals though, with David Allen (Lib Dem, Victoria) describing the plans as the “best of a bad bunch”, adding that he had noticed a loss of trade at the pub.
But Adrian Edwards (Con, Falkland) said he was loathed to see any pub demolished, adding that he felt this particular pub was part of Newbury's history.
Subsequently, the town council's resolution of no objections was decided on the casting vote of chairman Phil Barnett (Lib Dem, Clay Hill), after five councillors voted for and against the motion proposed by Mr Allen.
Meanwhile, the West Berkshire branch of CAMRA will be opposing the latest application as it feels that given the right landlord, the pub could still be turned round into a profitable business servicing the local community and the wider area.
The pubs officer for the West Berkshire branch, Glenn Parsons, said: “It is situated next to hundreds of houses and many more if housing at the racecourse gets planning permission.
“The racecourse itself on race days was always a good source of income both before and after racing.”
In addition, he said a number of local pubs had re-opened recently with great success, adding that the branch saw no reason why The Blue Ball should not follow.
The branch was due to formalise its representation at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, while a decision on the plans is set to be made by West Berkshire Council next month.
