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Uncertainty over Sterling homes means red light for road safety measures





West Berkshire Council had recently consulted on plans to install the safety measures at the notorious junction but announced on Monday it was to put the decision on ice until a decision was made on housing at the industrial site and the long term future of the Boundary Road rail bridge was sorted out.
The council is to determine plans to redevelop the “eyesore” industrial estate in King’s Road on Friday following submission of another planning application by Nelson Geneva Limited to build 190 homes at the site in January.
The land, the second most contaminated in Berkshire according to the Environment Agency which would cost an estimated £2 million to clean up, is the former home of Sterling Cables and has been the subject of a protracted tug-of-war between the council and developers in recent years.
The contamination aspect has been a sticking point for Nelson Geneva, which said it had no idea the old gas works site had contaminated the area to such an extent when it bought it, and the high density nature of the application was required in order for the developers to turn any profit.
Following the refusal of an application in October the firm returned in January with fresh plans to build 190 homes at the site in King's Road, alongside car parking, landscaping and decontamination works.
Previously the designs had been for two skyline-dominating high-rise tower blocks which would have been the second tallest buildings in Newbury at 38.5 metres.
The size and mass of the structure drew sharp criticism and was compared to the overbearing high-rise flats which dominate the skylines of big cities such as London and Birmingham. Carter Jonas said that the tallest element of the new scheme would be 15m lower than the existing Sterling Cables tower.
While the contamination levels came as a nasty surprise for the developers the traffic problems around the site are well known to anyone who uses the roads.
As there are currently no safeguards for pedestrians to cross near the busy junction, the district council proposed a facility for pedestrians to cross Hambridge Road east side and Boundary road north side.
However following consulation it has ruled that the concerns expressed by those opposed to the changes, coupled with the unresolved issues surrounding the Sterling Cables site and the Boundary Road rail bridge, meant there was a risk that implementing the project now would result in the junction failing to meet the needs of future traffic patterns.
Due to the forthcoming electrification of the railway line the bridge is likely to need work to enable the overhead cables to be installed beneath it but no firm plans have yet been submitted.



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