From West Berkshire Council website:
We’d like your views on the Avison Young Draft Development Brief for regenerating the London Road Industrial Estate (LRIE).
https://info.westberks.gov.uk/draftdevelopmentbrief
The survey is open until midnight on 20 October 2020.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/draftdevelopmentbrief
NCFG comment summary (full version here):
The AV brief provided by West Berkshire Council is narrow, restrictive and prescriptive and designed to provide the predetermined output that certain members of WBC wanted which is a housing led scheme
The report should have been a thorough, open, impartial and evidence-based assessment of ALL options for the LRIE
The Football ground should not be included as part of the London Road Industrial Estate (LRIE) at it has been in its current location since 1963 which predated proposals to establish an industrial estate at the beginning of the 1970s, shortly before the abolition of Newbury Borough Council. The boundary of redevelopment should therefore exclude the football ground, as it excludes Newspaper House
Why is there no mention of the opportunity to enhance or redevelop any part of the area for sports or leisure facilities
The draft report totally ignores the fact that the current football ground, which is on a site of 3 acres and is open space / green infrastructure and will be lost. Why does the report not make it clear that the masterplan will result in a net loss of green infrastructure / open space?
The draft report acknowledges that the LRIE is in a flood risk area and the Newspaper House, next to the football ground was refused planning by WBC due to the flood risk and the Government Planning Inspectorate upheld this decision
The draft report lists Newbury Community Football Groups CIC planning application as a significant (planning) application within the LRIE but then totally ignores it as an option
As a minimum the report should have looked at the option of retaining the football round at its current location especially in light of the fact that WBC still has no alternative / replacement venue and the obvious planning challenges that will be faced if flats are to be built on the football ground.
The draft report does not acknowledge the status and importance of the current football ground, which is disappointing as the football ground is clearly and well defined within the West Berkshire Core Strategy (2006 – 2026) Development Plan Document which was adopted in July 2012
The football ground in Faraday Road is specifically classified as a cultural facility, as a consequence, the facility is protected from redevelopment. An application for planning permission or reclassification (under the forthcoming Local Plan) would have to justify an alternative use.
From a planning perspective there can be no doubt whatsoever that the football ground is covered (and should be protected) by both the Town and Country Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework – February 2019.
The report does not provide any detail behind the numbers provided, for example what does the Total Acquisition Costs of £0.5m (plot 2) and £0.4m (plot 4) cover? It is more likely these accusation costs are several million pounds
When has it been assumed that the relocated football ground will be operational?
How much has been allocated for sustainable drainage?
How much has been allocated for decontamination?
