Plans for Thatcham's Black Horse ride again

Not enough allowance for parking spaces argue residents

PLANS to convert the Black Horse pub have been resubmitted.

Capita Moore, based in Slough, have resubmitted an application to convert the St John’s Road pub into two, two-bedroom and one, three-bedroom properties with private gardens.

The applicant argues that the pub is no longer viable owing to the financial commitment required and local competition, adding it is unlikely that the current level of patronage will justify investment to update the building.

No parking spaces have been provided apart from three spaces for bicycles, something residents feel will add further strain to an already congested road.

Speaking at a meeting of Thatcham Town Council’s planning committee last week, resident Mr Prudden said that the pub could be viable with the right people running it.

He said that St John’s Road residents who had looked to extend their property had been told by West Berkshire Council that they could do so provided they added off-road parking.

Saying that the council had set a precedent, Mr Prudden argued that the developers should be forced to supply parking.

“The car parking there during the day is fine you can get round but after 8pm there’s no parking.

“With the proposed houses I say there’s a minimum of an extra six cars, which, at present we can not fit in the road.

“I believe planning law has a duty of care for new and existing residents. I think on those grounds they should be forced to put in off-road parking.

“As someone who drank there for a number of years there are a lot of anomalies in this application.”

West Berkshire Council approved the scheme last year, only for it to later rescind planning permission, as the developer failed to enter a legal agreement to mitigate the impact of the development on local infrastructure and services.

Commenting on the resubmitted application, the council’s highways department said that it ‘appreciates the concerns raised’ – and while a new development with no car parking would not be considered appropriate – it would be unable to refuse the plans, given the ‘potential demands for parking’ associated with the pub.

Thatcham Town Council had objected to the original application, saying that it would worsen the already-congested car parking situation in St John’s Road.

The town council objected on the same grounds to the resubmitted application.

Technical consultant Chris Watts advised councillors that the only way the developers could get around the lack of parking would be to negotiate with the Memorial Hall or Catholic Hall about using their car parks.

To view and comment on the application go into West Berkshire Council’s planning website and enter 15/01520/FULD.