Newbury development takes one step closer

Carter Jonas, on behalf of Nelson Geneva Ltd, has submitted plans once again for the Kings Road site - this time to demolish the buildings and replace with 167 flats, a link road and parking.
The new scheme has proposed a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments - it will comprise three buildings, with the highest being eight storeys.
In December, West Berkshire Council entered into an agreement with the developer to go ahead with submitting a new application with the inclusion of a link road which will extend eastwards from Sainsbury's through Stirling estate to the Hambridge Road/Boundary Road junction. The scheme would provide a bypass for Kings Road and Mill Lane.
The road is deemed by the council to be so important to help get
traffic from the town centre to the A4 (Hambridge Road junction) and into Thatcham.
The developer has already agreed to pay to decontaminate the site which will cost an estimated £2 million to clean up.
Ward member, David Allen (Lib Dem, Victoria) said that without the link road, he would not have considered this new application.
He said: “The link road was the sticking point – it had to be put into that development.”
He said that although he was keen to see affordable housing on the site he realised that, with the cost of the link road and the decontamination of the site, this may not be financially viable for the developer.
However, he said that the council would need proof of this with a viability study.
He added: “We will look again at the facts of the development but if the density of housing is not too high and there’s a nod towards affordable housing or justification for no affordable housing, then I’m mindful to give it my support.”
A final decision is due by West Berkshire Council by August 18.