Newbury councillors set to fight high-rise building plans

Developers said they wanted to regenerate Newbury

A council has pledged to fight plans for a town high-rise building.

The proposals for an up-to-nine-storey building with 367 flats at the Kennet Centre site, in Newbury, Berkshire, were refused by West Berkshire District Council in May.

However, developer Lochailort Investments has appealed the council's decision and the plans will be scrutinised by a planning inspector.

Newbury Town Council has pledged to formally voice its concerns.

The authority has confirmed it will take part in the planning hearing set to begin on 10 October.

It said its decision followed "very strong local feeling against the proposals".

The developer has defended the plans, saying its buildings had been unfairly singled out.

Town council leader Gary Norman said that while the authority would love to see the Kennet Centre redeveloped, the current proposals "were way too high and out of character for Newbury".

He said the council was also concerned that the proposed building would have "a seriously detrimental impact" on the town centre conservation area and the listed buildings nearby.

"We have told the planning inspectors dealing with these appeals that the scale of the proposed development would irreparably ruin the existing character of Newbury," he added.

Hugo Haig, managing director of Lochailort Investments, told the BBC there were already other tall buildings in Newbury.

He said they had acquired this site "in order to work with the community and the local authority to revitalise the heart of Newbury".

They wanted to build flats, shops and offices at the site, Mr Haig added.

A final decision is expected to be taken by the planning inspectorate by 14 November.