WEST Berkshire Council will only use legal powers to force businesses to leave London Road Industrial Estate as “an absolute last resort”.
That is the message from councillor Ross Mackinnon, executive member for economic development, who is looking to reassure concerned business owners on the Newbury site.
After a major setback in 2018, the council’s long-held plans to redevelop the estate are back on track after it hired consultants at Avison Young to draw up a draft development brief, which says the site could be redeveloped in one comprehensive project or in phases.
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According to the brief, the council owns the majority of the 25-acre industrial estate but several businesses have signed long-term leases and this could “curtail its ability to deliver new development”.
It says the council may need to consider using compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), to obtain property without the consent of the leaseholders, but this is a “costly process” and it “should only be used as a last resort”.
Cllr Mackinnon (Conservative) said “there would only be a chance” of using CPOs if the council decides to go ahead with one comprehensive development.
He said: “It’s certainly the position of the council that even if we go down that route of a comprehensive master plan, compulsory purchase orders are fraught with risk, really costly and do get people’s backs up.
“At this stage, we’re not going to say never because that would mean ruling out the comprehensive masterplan.
“Even if we do go down that comprehensive route, it (using CPOs) would be the bottom of the list, far from our first preference and an absolute last resort.
“If we go for a phased approach, I think CPOs, by definition, would be unnecessary.
“It is the absolute desire of the council to avoid CPOs if at all possible.”
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The brief says up to 544 homes, 6,023 sqm of office space and 6,690 sqm of space for other businesses could be built on the site as part of one comprehensive development.
It also says the council could construct 280 homes, 3,473 sqm of office space and 5,400 sqm of space for other businesses if it develops the site in phases.
The project suffered a major setback in 2018, when the Court of Appeal ruled the council had breached EU law by failing to follow the correct procurement process when it appointed St Modwen Plc as the developer.
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