Issue - meetings

Purpose:  For the Executive to review again the Avison Young prepared draft London Road Industrial Estate Development Brief and to note feedback from public consultation which is reflected in the final version of the Development Brief.

Resolved that the publication of the London Road Industrial Estate (LRIE) Development Brief in its final form post public consultation be approved.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 26 November 2020, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 6) concerning the draft London Road Industrial Estate Development Brief and any feedback received from public consultation which had been reflected in the final version of the Development Brief.

Councillor Ross Mackinnon in introducing the report stated that it represented the next step in the regeneration of the London Road Industrial Estate (LRIE) and it would revamp and transform the eastern approach to Newbury Town Centre. It would attract business enterprises and residents to what would be a high quality and first class residential office and business development. Some of the comments received as part of the consultation process had resulted in changes to the Development Brief and they had been set out in the report. It provided clarification on the status of the document in that it was not a planning document and was never intended to be so. This was because the Council had a potential conflict of interest to deal with as landowner and planning authority. A number of other comments had been received in respect of the football ground and the flood mitigation which had been dealt with in the public arena prior to the consultation but nonetheless the brief had been updated to clarify the Council’s position on these areas. Consultation had included direct contact with leaseholders and occupational tenants on the estate and two public Zoom sessions.

Councillor Mackinnon stated that the consultation process had not identified any matters which would alter the Council’s decision to regenerate the LRIE. It was therefore proposed to move forward with the next steps in bringing a proposal to the next Executive meeting in December 2020.

Councillor Howard Woollaston seconded the report.

Councillor Tony Vickers stated that he was excited at the prospect of this very important site being developed but he just wished that it had not taken 10 years to get this far at a cost of £1m. The Council needed to set an example and should be fostering economic growth and supporting local communities. It should set its ambitions higher rather than just securing commercial returns in the short term from capital receipts/income streams. Would the master plan produce economic growth and best value for the community or would it just deliver commercial returns to the Council. Councillor Vickers quoted from the terms of reference given to Avison Young which stated that the requirement was for development proposals to centre on commercial returns. The Council was not just a landowner, it was a planning local authority, and therefore it should not just conform with planning policy it should exceed it. It would be necessary to keep control of the site and go beyond what it had to do rather than looking for short term commercial gain.

Councillor Vickers referred to paragraph 7.25 on page 72 of the agenda. The first bullet point stated that ‘An alternative and suitable replacement facility for the football ground would be required to be provided prior to its disposal and potential redevelopment.’ This  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42