Hectors Way flats plans facd parking blocker

An appeal has been lodged against West Berkshire Council blocking the development of 167 flats in Newbury – because of parking issues.

The plans to build at Sterling Gardens on Hectors Way have been granted, but the developers want to remove the parking condition applied by West Berkshire planners.

This has been refused, as the council says it will result in the loss of the nine replacement car parking spaces previously approved.

This, it says, will result in an increased over subscription of parking permits in Newbury E1 (East Zone) where there are already more permits than available car parking spaces.

The increased lack of available parking spaces could result in on-street car-parking in other areas adversely affecting road safety and the flow of traffic, it says.

The development, known as Sterling Gardens, transformed the former Sterling Cables industrial site. It included demolishing the old tower and constructing 167 apartments.

The new link road, Hectors Way, was built to improve traffic flow by connecting Kings Road and Hambridge Road.

Since the build of the Stirling Gardens estate and the new link road, parking has been reduced and problematic to Kings Road residents.

Before the main application went through more than a dozen people objected, saying the proposed application is ‘inadequate as it is not addressing the core issues and needs for the area and its residents’.

Parking was the main bone of contention.