Town centre plans quashed by government inspector

Four hundred and twenty seven flats were originally proposed for the shopping centre site

Plans for a town centre development project have been quashed by the government's planning inspector.

West Berkshire Council's planning committee previously rejected the proposal for a residential and retail development, with more than 400 flats, at the Kennet Shopping Centre in Newbury.

At an appeal into the decision, an inspector sided with the council, saying the design would be "overly dominant".

Developer Lochailort said the decision was "a little depressing", but good news for Old Town, another of its proposals for the site.

The planning inspector also agreed with objections from conservationists the Newbury Society, that the Kennet redevelopment would result in a major change and erosion of the character of Newbury town centre.

The Old Town plans involve getting rid of the shopping street and multi-storey flats and proposing a mews house-style housing quarter.

It is currently with the planning department at West Berkshire Council, which has yet to schedule the scheme into the planning committee system.