An artists impression of the new Anchor store proposed for Parkway.

A new planning application from Standard Life Investments, will mean a substantial change to the southern end of the new Parkway development. The new application will involve the provision of space for a second anchor store to join Debenhams as part of the multi million pound scheme.

Indications are that John Lewis will be the occupants, joining Poole, Croydon, Swindon and Tunbridge Wells as the Homestore concept is rolled out across the UK. Exeter is due to open in Summer 2011 bringing a boost to retail confidence in city/town centre locations, followed by Newbury and Chester in the Autumn. The major signing, which may be announced before Christmas, should encourage other national retailers to sign up for the remaining vacant units.

Several retail units surrounding Victoria Place will be amalgamated to form the new store along with the extension of the main block. A new pedestrian bridge will be constructed across Marsh Lane. The new plan will also see the loss of some car parking spaces.

Newbury.net understands that construction work may already be underway in anticipation that the planning application submitted on November 5th will be approved.

The Parkway scheme is due to open next Autumn in time for Christmas 2011.

They must anticipate a lot of flooding if the flagship store is selling anchors.

Quoted from user23.3

They must anticipate a lot of flooding if the flagship store is selling anchors.

Mmmm and the seagulls will be crapping on Camp Hopson from a great height ..........................

Quoted from user23.3

They must anticipate a lot of flooding if the flagship store is selling anchors.

At first glance I thought it was cockney for new WBC offices!!

Bit of infilling already but glad to see that we are still retaining the wood cladding scheme from sustainable forests to match the faded wood on Camp Hopson and that on the Sainsbury car park..

This little throw away line is interesting, "The new plan will also see the loss of some car parking spaces." I wonder how many and actually why ??

User will have to revise his parking space calculations.

This was the original artists impression of that corner. The view from the apartments that face south, not quite so good now

I think most of us know that artists impressions should be called: 'artist's impact mitigation exercise', or 'make it look as good as possible, but not too fantastic, to fool the planners' images.

Quoted from brian

This little throw away line is interesting, "The new plan will also see the loss of some car parking spaces." I wonder how many and actually why ??

User will have to revise his parking space calculations.

So will WBC - they were expecting £300k a year from the car parking charges.

I bet SLI are regretting the £4million sweetener to persuade Debenhams to move across town, John Lewis for free would have been a much better deal!

I'm sure forum members will remember that John Lewis came down earlier in the year, walked around a bit and said what they were being offered was 'too small' to make a 'home store' viable and went away.

All that's happened here is - realising that they be pushed up to fill some of the little units, - SLI are going to knock a few of them together to give J.L. the floorspace they said they needed.

Before we all carried away it should also be noted that 'home stores' should not be confused with 'normal' branches of John Lewis.


Threep.

Quoted from Threepwood

I'm sure forum members will remember that John Lewis came down earlier in the year, walked around a bit and said what they were being offered was 'too small' to make a 'home store' viable and went away.

All that's happened here is - realising that they be pushed up to fill some of the little units, - SLI are going to knock a few of them together to give J.L. the floorspace they said they needed.

Before we all carried away it should also be noted that 'home stores' should not be confused with 'normal' branches of John Lewis.


Threep.

The little units were approx £36K a year rent  

Not only a John Lewis but if you look just above the car in the picture it would appear the Parkway development is also getting a couple of giant eggs!

Quoted from brian

This little throw away line is interesting, "The new plan will also see the loss of some car parking spaces." I wonder how many and actually why ??

User will have to revise his parking space calculations.

According to Newbury Today, 105 spaces will be lost. Nearly 20%. Apparently there is plenty of car parking elsewhere in town.

Quoted from Archie

According to Newbury Today, 105 spaces will be lost. Nearly 20%. Apparently there is plenty of car parking elsewhere in town.

But how will this impact on the revenue WBC will get from the car park.  They have already lost £300k through the year's delay.  Will it now fall 20% pa?

Quoted from Archie

According to Newbury Today, 105 spaces will be lost. Nearly 20%. Apparently there is plenty of car parking elsewhere in town.

I'm not sure about 105 spaces. A quick count on the plans in B1 and B2 the basement parks seems to be about 50.

Coincidently, the developers have changed the structure of the apartments in block A205 and A305 from two bedroom to single bedroom. I'm not sure how many apartments this is but whatever, this is not a minor change to the masterplan.

We also lose that nice little paved area on the southeast corner which was to be known as Victoria Place. This little area is to be covered by a building which means that we no longer have a reasonably softened view from the park, replaced now with hard brickwork.

Are they going to rename Victoria Place to Victoria Pavement?

Quoted from Gumpo

Not only a John Lewis but if you look just above the car in the picture it would appear the Parkway development is also getting a couple of giant eggs!

could be three?! have the two trees blown off or been pushed off the roof ?

This is the area that will go, covered by the Anchor store....

Ore if you prefer it at eye level, and you will remember that the before picture was one of the pictures released to show how nice the development was and how it fitted in with the local environment.

I see today that the Town council are not too happy with the planning application. Not that that will make much difference to the WBC planning. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a done deal already.

Where has all the trees gone & the railings.

Quoted from red berret

Where has all the trees gone & the railings.

This is what the thread is about really. The Anchor store sits square on top of and replaces the much publicised Victoria Square.
If you, by railings, mean the Victoria Park railings, they will remain as they are. They are shown in the artist's impression of the site as the earlier aerial drawing shows..

Quoted from brian

This is what the thread is about really. The Anchor store sits square on top of and replaces the much publicised Victoria Square.
If you, by railings, mean the Victoria Park railings, they will remain as they are. They are shown in the artist's impression of the site as the earlier aerial drawing shows..

This is taken from the latest press release:

Standard Life Investments has submitted a planning application to West Berkshire Council to reconfigure a section of Parkway. The revised plans enable it to progress discussions with a large space user that cannot currently be accommodated in Parkway as tenants are already signed up for all of the biggest stores.

The plan will create a high quality gateway building at a prominent location fronting Victoria Park.

The building design will improve the setting of Victoria Park and integrate it with the town centre, while the ability to add another exciting anchor store in this location will further enhance shopper choice and encourage more people to come shopping in Newbury, to the benefit of the whole town.

The plans do mean that the previously proposed Victoria Square will no longer be built, but this is just one of several public spaces within Parkway. The others remain unchanged.

Quoted from BrianB

The plan will create a high quality gateway building at a prominent location fronting Victoria Park.  The building design will improve the setting of Victoria Park and integrate it with the town centre, while the ability to add another exciting anchor store in this location will further enhance shopper choice and encourage more people to come shopping in Newbury, to the benefit of the whole town.

How very kind of them to be thinking only of Newbury.

Quoted from BrianB

and integrate it with the town centre,

Go on then.......I'll play........how does this work?


Threep

Just had a look at the planning application for the anchor store in Parkway and there is now an objection entered by The House of Fraser. What's that about then.

http://planning.westberks.gov.uk/rpp/index.asp?caseref=10/02676/FULMAJ

Quoted from brian

Just had a look at the planning application for the anchor store in Parkway and there is now an objection entered by The House of Fraser. What's that about then.

http://planning.westberks.gov.uk/rpp/index.asp?caseref=10/02676/FULMAJ

Don't House of Fraser own Debenhams?  

I've got a better idea.  Get Debenhams to stay in the Kennet Centre and have a proper John Lewis at Park Way.

Quoted from blackdog

Don't House of Fraser own Debenhams?  

I doubt it, they both have a listing on the Stock Exchange under their own names. I just wonder why they have gone to all the trouble of trying to block the John Lewis expansion.
Is there a link with any other retailer ?.

Quoted from brian

I doubt it, they both have a listing on the Stock Exchange under their own names. I just wonder why they have gone to all the trouble of trying to block the John Lewis expansion.
Is there a link with any other retailer ?.

Maybe HOF are going in the Kennet Centre when Debenhams go ...... and don't want John Lewis in town ..... rest assured they are not remotely interested in the independant retailers as they claim.

Have a look at this plan dated July 2010 for the allocation of shops in Parkway.

You will see that if the plan for another anchor store goes ahead then the food terrace, an integral part of the original application will disappear completely, with nowhere to replace it on another part of the site.

You can get an enlarged version by clicking on the image.

Notice there is no interested in G21/22 - do you think it's because they are the ones available to the independant at a whopping £36K p.a. ??

Quoted from PaulaM

Maybe HOF are going in the Kennet Centre when Debenhams go ...... and don't want John Lewis in town ..... rest assured they are not remotely interested in the independant retailers as they claim.

It seems that Debenhams were thinking about buy House of Fraser last year (perhaps why I thought they were part of the same company).  Makes it very confusing that they should spend so much effort in putting together such a comprehensive objection.  I also wondered if they were planning to open somewhere like the Kennet Centre.

Quoted from blackdog

It seems that Debenhams were thinking about buy House of Fraser last year (perhaps why I thought they were part of the same company).  Makes it very confusing that they should spend so much effort in putting together such a comprehensive objection.  I also wondered if they were planning to open somewhere like the Kennet Centre.

I would put money on it  

Quoted from michael

My first thought was that HOF were thinking of buying Camp Hopsons!

Good thought, time will tell but they must have something in mind.

As far as the press release is concerned....

The plans do mean that the previously proposed Victoria Square will no longer be built, but this is just one of several public spaces within Parkway. The others remain unchanged.

On the plan posted by BrianB, I can't see any of the 'several' public spaces unless they are counting the walkways.