The plans by the previous Labour administration to push a three storey development block onto the garage area off Newbury Avenue have been replaced following consultation with local residents by the new Council administration which is joint between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. Instead the Executive agreed tonight that 8 bungalows will be constructed (which will require to go through the planning process following the tendering for developers) This will assist people who want to ‘downsize’ whilst remaining in the area. Improvements to parking in the area is needed already, with the impending impacts of the 55 Hobstone homes.

At tonight’s Executive Meeting Cllr Waller said;

Newbury Avenue Garage areas

I am grateful for the time that the Leader, as Executive Member for Housing has put in to helping to progress this situation with council officers by meeting with residents with me as ward member.

Local residents felt that their views had been entirely disregarded by the previous council.

Across the ward I am frequently asked about options to move into bungalows so that people can stay in the area as they downsize, this will answer this concern and bring family homes into use.

It has utilised experience from the Discuss Bungalow replacement project in the East of the City which was a strong example of working alongside communities to develop a solution which has answered many housing needs, and I would like to pay tribute to Steve Waddington for his work in making sure that project continued at a time during the early credit crunch when others schemes were grinding to a halt.

The area has some three storey blocks of flats, and high density semi detached housing, but this is balanced by open areas, and in this case a low rise group of garages. Putting in a three storey block was overdevelopment, and this was recognised by the residents, and I hope by the executive.

Now whilst there has been some understanding of the need to provide housing, it does need to be considered in the context of being close to the Hobstone/Our Lady’s School development which seems to be a never ending building site.

There does need to be very careful consideration of how the development would be managed to ensure that there is not a repeat of the disruption that has been endured nearby are not repeated.

It is important to resolve the shortage of parking in this area, which will not be helped by the loss of these garages. The matrix parking system has been used in other parts of the estate, and with the restoration of the Estate Improvement Grant together with some of the ward funding which has been allocated for communal parking.

Getting this in at the beginning would enable residents to park whilst there is development work happening in this narrow road. Given the problems that have been generated by the Hobstone Development it is important to get this right , and as Newbury Avenue is a very narrow road it is worth doing this at the beginning of the process.