THERE were few surprises in store in the refined version of the East Street redevelopment, set to be presented to Waverley's long-awaited design consultative forum yesterday (Thursday). The main elements of the scheme - scale and massing of the development and the number of residential units - are no longer up for discussion, the developers made clear this week as The Herald was given a preview of the scheme. "We are not reinventing the wheel," said Terry Prescott of Crest Nicholson, warning that a further round of consultation on the entire scheme was not an option. The developers hope was that, through the forum, observations will be given on such issues as the revised layout, design and public spaces, traffic studies and other local interest issues including security and access and sustainability. The redesign has caused the previously announced timetable to slip and the developer's current estimate is that a planning application will be submitted before the end of the year. A start on the site next summer is not ruled out, if planning consent can be obtained in the spring. But the major changes to the masterplan due to be unveiled were mainly those already announced in recent months, apart from the fact that the cinema planned will have even more screens than anticipated. In April, it was announced that developer Crest Nicholson had agreed terms with Vue Entertainment for a seven-screen facility, to be sited to the east of the new town square, close to Dogflud Way. Now, however, a 1,200-seater eight-screen facility is envisaged on the new site and the cinema has been moved from phase three of the development to phase one because of public demand for it to be up and running. As expected, the planned new Sainsbury's store has been relocated to a site in South Street, almost opposite Victoria Road. And Crest Nicholson has apparently agreed terms with a major retailer, "a household name", to occupy the slot earmarked for a large store on the former cinema site on the East Street frontage. Other features to be revealed to the forum included a wider walkway from the new town square to South Street, a servicing mews replaced by two less obtrusive service yards, improved screening for the access to the underground car park off Brightwells Road opposite the Falkner Arch and an increase spaces in the car park for the residential properties. The health and fitness facility at one time envisaged for South Street has been dropped from the plan as it is not felt the demand exists. Still on the cards, however, is a nightclub in the South Street vicinity, at basement level where the developer considers noise would have the least effect on the town. Elements of the scheme that remain the same or are little changed include the number of residential units - still set at 294 - the height, mass and overall area of the project, the restoration of Brightwell House and the safeguarding of a "green lung" at the heart of the project. The Brightwells Bowls Club remains within the scheme, despite the technical report that has indicated that the housing overshadowing the green could cause the grass to die. Terry Prescott indicated that including the club on its current site was a requirement of the development agreement signed with Waverley. But as to the Redgrave Theatre, there is no chance whatsoever in the developer's view of the building being saved and the developer views it as a matter for Waverley rather than Crest Nicholson. "The retention of the Redgrave was not a requirement of the scheme and Waverley are putting their resources into the Maltings," The Herald was told.
