South Newbury leisure centre given green light while decision on 40-home development deferred

Members of the existing Greenacre centre, Greenham Road, turned out in force to oppose plans to tear down the centre and replace it with a brand-new leisure centre on the site of Newbury Rugby Club, Monks Lane.
Objectors said the plans did not provide a like-for-like alternative, with the bulk of objections focused on the loss of a squash court and the inclusion of an outdoor pool, as well as the loss of the popular community facility.
Stax Leisure managing director Max Wildsmith said to members of the western area planning committee last night: "It caters for the ladies who want to do aerobics and pilates, to team members playing squash, good swimmers, bad swimmers, non-swimmers.
"We are going to invest £7m in a sports centre in Newbury and I find it extraordinary as all we get is criticism on one squash court."
Council officers also reminded Greenacre members that owner Phil Taylor could decide to close up at any time and said at least approving the Monks Lane leisure hub would guarantee replacement facilities.
The new gym was proposed by Stax Leisure, while Bloor Homes proposed to build 40-homes - none of them affordable - on the site of the existing Greenacre centre, income from which would part-fund the new centre.
However, Greenham ward member Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem) was unsettled with the lack of affordable housing at the site and said that if neither Stax Leisure nor Bloor Homes could afford to build affordable housing then the council should consider whether cash from council coffers could be used to guarantee it, similar to an agreement made which secured affordable housing at the Parkway scheme.
A decision on the application was deferred so that Mr Swift-Hook’s suggestions could be considered by officers.