37 Affordable Homes Lie Empty at Parkway, they may offload the 'good ones' first! Options

[Nothing Much]

Still looking good!

Careful Mr Brown. Don't be too positive about Newbury or you might be considered a Town Council stooge.
ce

[On the edge]

Still looking good!

Careful Mr Brown. Don't be too positive about Newbury or you might be considered a Town Council stooge.
ce

Ooh good, we might be able to unload some Newbury flags! Just hope he doesn't want an allotment.

[Mr Brown]

Still looking good!

Careful Mr Brown. Don't be too positive about Newbury or you might be considered a Town Council stooge.
ce

Great day wandering through the parks by the Canal, saw the swimming pools, lunch in Market Place and then discovered the Library. All in all, still happy to be here! Still really can't see what's wrong with these flats, or indeed the shopping centre below.

Reading some of the comments here, the Council comes over as the local hate figure. I'll just carry on ignoring them.

[Andy Capp]

Great day wandering through the parks by the Canal, saw the swimming pools, lunch in Market Place and then discovered the Library. All in all, still happy to be here! Still really can't see what's wrong with these flats, or indeed the shopping centre below.

It's a long story, but lets say if one is fortunate enough to be able to make use of Parkway as you have, then they are less likely to understand or care! Sorry, I know that sounds patronising.

Not wishing to sound off, but it would have been nice if Parkway and the flats would have been a benefit to locals rather than 'relying' on people coming from out of town to patronise them, however I do hope you enjoy your stay.

Reading some of the comments here, the Council comes over as the local hate figure. I'll just carry on ignoring them.

Who? The posters, or the council?


...you don't write for the council do you? ...only joking!

[Mr Brown]

You sound like one of the good old boys who don't like change and saying wouldn't want one moving next door to me!! Many people would like to stay and live where they were born, but it just isn't possible these days. As for me, I was born are brought up in London, dear opposite Russell Square tube and I'd love to have stayed. Our 2 bed flat which was rented now goes for £600,000, or I could have a studio down the road for £250,000. No can do, so where do you want me to live? In a box outside the IMax? So these flats should have been built to benefit the locals? Well, what's wrong with the locals actually buying them then, I don't think there has been any restriction!

Just for the record, I don't work for the Council; have never had any dealings with them or the Councils where I used to live, so take no interest. Perhaps that will change now I'm here. So far I like what I've seen - this has been the only cloud!

[On the edge]

That's a good approach with the council! Glad you like the area and your new flat. I quite agree, Parkway does seem a great place to live. Personally, I think it's a great design and blends in very well with the general architecture of the Town. The site used to be semi derelict commercial land; quite dreadful. Newbury is expanding rapidly, so the new development actually sits well with this population increase. Of course, the voice of reaction is ever present, but hopefully declining. You'll find there is a strata of unreconstructed thinking that still believes the 1950s can be preserved! That's why we need the museum extension - somewhere to leave these attitudes. It's great to see the town centre filling up and bustling, hope you'll be able to plant your roots deep.

[Andy Capp]

You sound like one of the good old boys who don't like change and saying wouldn't want one moving next door to me!! Many people would like to stay and live where they were born, but it just isn't possible these days. As for me, I was born are brought up in London, dear opposite Russell Square tube and I'd love to have stayed. Our 2 bed flat which was rented now goes for £600,000, or I could have a studio down the road for £250,000. No can do, so where do you want me to live? In a box outside the IMax? So these flats should have been built to benefit the locals? Well, what's wrong with the locals actually buying them then, I don't think there has been any restriction!

Perhaps you might like to read the thread's title to get a measure of one of the reason people resent the way things are before you tell people who they are! While you wonder on your cloud of bliss, admiring the the quaint and lovely scenery, local people need homes to live in! 37 lie empty because of the submissive deal the council (barely) brokered with the owners!

I personally don't care where people come from, but if the council are to give away a piece of prime land for a £1.00, I'd like to think the results would be more inclusive! Having people move here from the city is one of the problems we have as the spending power from that migration simply makes the plight of the lower income bracket even worse.

My feelings about Parkway are not selfish, as you imply.

[Andy Capp]

That's a good approach with the council! Glad you like the area and your new flat. I quite agree, Parkway does seem a great place to live. Personally, I think it's a great design and blends in very well with the general architecture of the Town. The site used to be semi derelict commercial land; quite dreadful.

I infer that you think people preferred the area to remain a derelict car-park. Being against this construction doesn't mean that people were happy about what came before it. Personally I think it is architecturally incongruous and looms large over the park. However, it's architectural merits are not my main concern. It's public land being given away to an elite few that I see as a bigger issue.

[Mr Brown]

Perhaps you might like to read the thread's title to get a measure of one of the reason people resent the way things are before you tell people who they are! While you wonder on your cloud of bliss, admiring the the quaint and lovely scenery, local people need homes to live in! 37 lie empty because of the submissive deal the council (barely) brokered with the owners!

I personally don't care where people come from, but if the council are to give away a piece of prime land for a £1.00, I'd like to think the results would be more inclusive! Having people move here from the city is one of the problems we have as the spending power from that migration simply makes the plight of the lower income bracket even worse.

My feelings about Parkway are not selfish, as you imply.

In effect, you are saying that we incomers from the 'city' are taking homes from local people; simply because you think we have more money. That seems to suggest local people haven't got the wit to earn decent wages. The girl who told me about Parkway, works at my office in Reading, she's lived in Newbury all her life. Then, take my Mum, we had to move from our flat in Russell Square and the rich people took over. My Mum still lives that way, in a smaller place where she is very happy - she thinks the area has got better. Local people HAVE got plenty of homes to choose from and at quite reasonable prices. Look ion the house sale sites.

Not quite sure what your concerns are about the commercial goings on with the site landlords. When the contract was signed, the market was very different. Commercial contracts are always a negotiation - can't see anything wrong with that. Out of this development, local people got a great new shopping centre and a good few more reasonably priced flats than they had before the place was built.

I'm still not sure what your problem is, apart from worries about having new people moving to the area.

[The Hatter]

I infer that you think people preferred the area to remain a derelict car-park. Being against this construction doesn't mean that people were happy about what came before it. Personally I think it is architecturally incongruous and looms large over the park. However, it's architectural merits are not my main concern. It's public land being given away to an elite few that I see as a bigger issue.

At least we didn't get one if those inside shopping centres like Basingstoke. I don't know what happened, but what's the issue with public land? Was there a park or something on the site beforehand?

[Andy Capp]

In effect, you are saying that we incomers from the 'city' are taking homes from local people; simply because you think we have more money. That seems to suggest local people haven't got the wit to earn decent wages. The girl who told me about Parkway, works at my office in Reading, she's lived in Newbury all her life. Then, take my Mum, we had to move from our flat in Russell Square and the rich people took over. My Mum still lives that way, in a smaller place where she is very happy - she thinks the area has got better. Local people HAVE got plenty of homes to choose from and at quite reasonable prices. Look ion the house sale sites.

There are plenty of homes for people on above average wages, yes, but I am not talking about them. I am not complaining about the area as a whole either. I don't know where that come from.

Not quite sure what your concerns are about the commercial goings on with the site landlords. When the contract was signed, the market was very different. Commercial contracts are always a negotiation - can't see anything wrong with that. Out of this development, local people got a great new shopping centre and a good few more reasonably priced flats than they had before the place was built.

'reasonably priced' is relative. It seems, however, that 37 lie empty because the owner hasn't shifted the more exclusive one yet. As for a great new shopping center, that's another matter of opinion and is largely irrelevant in this thread. Personally, I don't think it is a great new shopping center, mind you it cost the ability to park in the town for free and that affects everyone who drives here, whether one likes Parkway or not. Obviously, I don't speak for everyone, and many will disagree with me.

I'm still not sure what your problem is, apart from worries about having new people moving to the area.

I think it is quite clear what my problem is; I think the title of the thread makes that obvious. Where people come from doesn't bother me, but please understand that as people move in to Newbury, it is bound to make house prices rise, and unless you are selling to move somewhere cheaper, that isn't necessarily a good thing.

[Andy Capp]

At least we didn't get one if those inside shopping centres like Basingstoke. I don't know what happened, but what's the issue with public land? Was there a park or something on the site beforehand?

I think it should have been covered and simply based on a shopping experience, Basingstoke wins hands down, whether it is in the main shopping centre or the plentiful 'warehouse' outlets on the outskirts. They seem to have all the top nationals in their town too, and that seems to include all the main supermarkets.*

The issue with public land is that I believe what it was used for should have been more inclusive and that the council should have waited for the market to rise.

*It is still a toilet though!

[Cognosco]

Perhaps you might like to read the thread's title to get a measure of one of the reason people resent the way things are before you tell people who they are! While you wonder on your cloud of bliss, admiring the the quaint and lovely scenery, local people need homes to live in! 37 lie empty because of the submissive deal the council (barely) brokered with the owners!

I personally don't care where people come from, but if the council are to give away a piece of prime land for a £1.00, I'd like to think the results would be more inclusive! Having people move here from the city is one of the problems we have as the spending power from that migration simply makes the plight of the lower income bracket even worse.

My feelings about Parkway are not selfish, as you imply.

Agreed! And the next 1/2 of Newbury is going to be given away so no healthy £1.00 profit even. Unless now the housing market is supposedly recovering, prices rising, we may be able to get £2.00 profit this time.

[On the edge]

I think it should have been covered and simply based on a shopping experience, Basingstoke wins hands down, whether it is in the main shopping centre or the plentiful 'warehouse' outlets on the outskirts. They seem to have all the top nationals in their town too, and that seems to include all the main supermarkets.*

The issue with public land is that I believe what it was used for should have been more inclusive and that the council should have waited for the market to rise.

*It is still a toilet though!

So then, you would have been happy with a bland shed just like Basingstoke' that's a view of course, but it would have turned Newbury into the same sort of town, a toilet in your description. If that's what you want, fine.

Not quite sure what 'more inclusive' means. The site contains shops and accommodation of various types. What else could have gone there? There will be 'social housing' whatever that may mean, but in any event, if you look at what's on offer, there is a wide range of types and prices.

Yes, the Council could have waited 'till the market rises. If they did, build costs would have escalated and equally, we'd still be waiting. Let's be honest, no one actually saw how deep and how long the recession would be.

[Andy Capp]

So then, you would have been happy with a bland shed just like Basingstoke' that's a view of course, but it would have turned Newbury into the same sort of town, a toilet in your description. If that's what you want, fine.

There is more than one way to have a sheltered shopping experience. Architects are paid to be inventive, and if I could mug towns off like the ones that do with places like Basingstoke and Newbury, I'd be one.

Not quite sure what 'more inclusive' means. The site contains shops and accommodation of various types. What else could have gone there? There will be 'social housing' whatever that may mean, but in any event, if you look at what's on offer, there is a wide range of types and prices.

Well wide numbers for those prices, yes. By inclusive, perhaps that could include occupying the bloody flats we (taxpayers) have actually paid for!

Yes, the Council could have waited 'till the market rises. If they did, build costs would have escalated and equally, we'd still be waiting. Let's be honest, no one actually saw how deep and how long the recession would be.

I'm not sure the recession has much to do with whether the council should have sold the land for a £1.00 and paid for homes to be built and then have to wait while people remain without a secured home to occupy them (RE: the OP)!

[On the edge]

Glad you appreciate the architectural merits of Parkway. It actually blends in with the old town and at the same time is different to the usual run of things. That's innovation is it not?

Weird; moan about the shortage of homes,developer builds some new ones and increases the districts housing stock and that's wrong!!! What do you actually want?

The issue with the social housing is a contractual negotiation, up to our Councillors to sort. One issue they might like to consider is the whole issue of 'social' or so called affordable housing is why its needed in the first place. If local employees paid properly, it wouldn't be needed.

[The Hatter]

I think it would have been the ideal place for the cinema and the library. They could have still put some flats in as well. If they'd done that they could have done it bit by bit.

[Andy Capp]

Glad you appreciate the architectural merits of Parkway. It actually blends in with the old town and at the same time is different to the usual run of things. That's innovation is it not?

In my view it certainly doesn't blend in; it is a carbuncle. What is does do is pave the way for more 'grandiose' designs. It looks like Newbury's Berlin Wall to me. Like walking past Reading HMP. However, that is all bye-the-bye and irrelevant. I would imagine more people like it than not.

Weird; moan about the shortage of homes,developer builds some new ones and increases the districts housing stock and that's wrong!!! What do you actually want?

You're being disingenuous, you know perfectly well what I am on about, the clue is in the title of the thread. There is a shortage of affordable homes and 37 lie empty as we speak (allegedly).

The issue with the social housing is a contractual negotiation, up to our Councillors to sort. One issue they might like to consider is the whole issue of 'social' or so called affordable housing is why its needed in the first place. If local employees paid properly, it wouldn't be needed.

As if the council have the wherewithal to do that, you are being daft now.

[Andy Capp]

I think it would have been the ideal place for the cinema and the library. They could have still put some flats in as well. If they'd done that they could have done it bit by bit.

I quite agree.

[The Hatter]

Keeping it simple, we could have saved the town.