Security concerns over housing development next to Two Saints in Newbury

Homeless hostel could prove nuisance to Phoenix Court affordable homes

PLANS for an affordable housing development next to homeless hostel Two Saints have been questioned over their safety.

Housing association Sovereign and West Berkshire Council are working together to redevelop a site in Newtown Road, next to the Phoenix Centre that has been vacant since 2004.

Preliminary proposals have been put forward for consultation for 18 homes in two identical blocks of flats, with one of the apartment blocks for rent at reduced rates and the other for shared ownership.

Each apartment block will have three one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom flats, with each allocated one parking space.

Access to the site – provisionally called Phoenix Court – will be off the existing access road on the southern boundary.

In a Newbury Town Council planning and highways meeting last Monday, project manager Sarah Comer detailed the plans to councillors.

Ms Comer said: “When designing these homes we’ve considered the local surroundings to make it more aesthetically pleasing to ensure it fits in well.

“The apartments have been designed using locally-sourced materials and each apartment will have stone windowsills and surrounds with large overhanging eaves and vertical balconies, working in harmony with the roofline to add interest.”

However, councillors expressed their reservations about the safety of having a housing development next to the hostel.

Billy Drummond (Lib Dem, Eastfields) said he had big concerns over the site’s location.

He said: “My concern is Two Saints.

“I’m a great supporter of Two Saints, but it’s a mess round there in the evenings, with drink bottles and rubbish.

“There’s terrible rubbish round there. Would you be happy Sarah if somebody – one of your brothers or sisters – bought one of those flats?

“It’d be a terrible place with all those drunks around there at night and there is terrible trouble with them.”

Ms Comer replied: “That’s something we’ll have to manage.

“We are looking into enhanced security measures in that area. CCTV is something we can look into.

“To put housing on that site is better than having a vacant site that they can go in and camp on and cause nuisance on.”

Roger Hunneman (Lib Dem, Wash Common) said: “Not wishing to go on about the negative tone councillor Drummond was alluding to, but I’m concerned about that aspect of it as well.

“I’d like to see some definite attempts to improve that footpath, make it more secure, some local area CCTV rather than just being associated with the flats themselves, otherwise there’s a chance the residents might have an uncomfortable time on occasion.

“Can’t say it’s all the time, but on occasion.

“It’s something you should be aware of and something you should factor into your plans, otherwise I’m pleased to see you’re getting on with this development after very many years of not making any progress whatsoever.

“It’s really good that more affordable housing is being provided.”

Councillors also expressed concern over the lack of green landscaping being proposed.

Gary Norman (Lib Dem, Wash Common) said: “I don’t know who your target market is, particularly the rental, but if they’re going to be affordable rental I imagine you’ll have some children in the block.

“I’m looking at the overall site, it’s just buildings and car park – I just wondered if you could be a bit more imaginative and move some of the car spaces out a bit and create some shared garden.

“I speak from experience – I lived in Jago Court for a time with a 12-year-old, and it was a pretty grim experience because there was nowhere to go outside.”

Ms Comer replied: “It’s just optimising the site and making the most efficient use of the urban land.”

However, Mr Norman said: “I don’t think that’s optimum.

“You’ve spread any green space into a narrow strip around the outside, which is not much use to anybody.

“It’s just a thought.”

Sovereign and West Berkshire Council are expecting to submit an application for planning permission in early 2021, with a view to starting work on the side during the autumn.

They then hope to have the homes ready for occupation at the end of 2022.