Sterling estate development to be discussed tonight (Mon)

Revised plans for 190 homes on Kings Road go before Newbury Town Council's planning committee

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 190 new homes on the former site of Sterling Industrial Estate in Kings Road will come before Newbury Town Council this evening (Monday).

Former plans to build a modern housing development in the centre of Newbury were refused in October 2010, but the developer, Nelson Geneva has now returned with a fresh application.

Newbury Town Council's planning and highways committee will consider its recommendations at the town hall, Market Place, this evening at 7.30pm.

The plans also include a multi-million-pound decontamination programme to clean up the site, deemed the second most contaminated in West Berkshire by the Environment Agency.

Previous designs for the two high-rise tower blocks had been thrown out by the district council.

But the property agents Carter Jonas and architects Sutton Griffin believe the revised plans are more in line with community expectations.

Sutton Griffin Architect Patrick Griffin said: “It is a brownfield, town centre site that could deliver up to 200 homes. It is dealing with the Newbury Vision and would be producing a significant number of town centre homes. It would be a positive move for Newbury.”

Newbury Town Council will submit its recommendations, which will be reported on NewburyToday tomorrow, to West Berkshire Council.

West Berkshire Council has set a determination date of April 6.