Plans submitted for three-storey apartment block in Newbury

PLANS have been submitted to transform the former Motorists Discount Centre on Mayors Lane into a three-storey residential block of apartments.

The existing building would be demolished and the apartment block – comprising eight apartments – would be built in its place.

The application has been put forward by Woolbro Group – a family-owned business specialising in residential development – which argues that the development would create “much-needed centrally located” apartments in Newbury town centre.

Six of the units would be two-bed, with the remainder one-bed flats.

There would, however, only be two parking spaces created, to the west of the site.

The applicant argues that two is “deemed acceptable given the central location of the development, with access to services and facilities within a short distance, including the local station within a two-minute walk”.

There would also be a 16 cycle parking spaces created in a secure storage facility at the back of the development “which is adequate to meet the demand of the site”.

A planning statement created by the applicant says: “The proposals will make best use of an existing well located and previously developed, ‘small site’ for housing.

“The proposals will have positive effects in terms of local character as a result of high quality architecture.

“The proposals will deliver significant planning development [benefits] including replacing the existing unattractive building which is out of character with the conservation area and replacing the building with one of considered design quality, [and] reducing overall vehicle trips and traffic on Mayors Lane and surrounding roads as land use changes to residential and encouraging public transport usage.”

The application will now go to West Berkshire Council for consideration.

To view the application, go to the council’s planning portal and enter the reference 21/02695/FULD.