The Newbury Society comments on planning applications submitted to West Berkshire Council.
We seek to retain listed buildings, and wish to see them in everyday use, which is the best way to keep them. At the same time we look for better enforcement of maintenance obligations on their owners.
Old buildings which enhance the scene - or at the very least their facades - should be retained rather than demolished. The current skyline should generally be retained; new buildings should be in scale with their surroundings, and an addition to Newbury's wonderful architectural heritage. New developments on the Kennet and Avon Canal should front on to it rather than turn their backs on to it. The gateway to Newbury Town Centre and the historic Wharf should be enhanced and we would welcome the demolition of the BT building. Architects and developers of good new buildings should be suitably recognised, and the Ernest Paul Award was launched.
We want new developments to "consume" their air conditioning, satellite dishes, storage for wheelie bins, prams and cycles, etc and ensure that these are designed in from the beginning and do not have to be subsequently added.
Shop fronts should be in keeping with their neighbours and the rest of the building. We are not keen on internally illuminated signs in the Town Centre , and particularly object to projecting ones. In the Market Place, signs and fascias should be in keeping with this historic setting.
We strongly support the use of upper floors of shops for living accommodation to encourage life and security in the Town Centre. We are particularly pleased with the flats above Daniels in the Market Place. We also favour the use of brownfield sites in the Town Centre for residential use, such as the flats built in 2000 in Bartholomew Street.
The Society comments to West Berkshire Council on all planning applications in the Town Centre. Please see the Newsletters for recent reports. We campaign for the proposed canal basin at the Wharf and for the improvement of Bartholomew Street, at last underway in 2000. We seek to influence future major developments, such as that proposed at Park Way.
