Demolition of former retail warehouse and erection of a mixed-use building comprising 44 residential units consisting of x5 affordable units, 194 sqm of retail floorspace (Use Class A1) at ground floor and associated car parking, cycle parking and landscaping.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the above application.  An update report was tabled at the meeting which summarised a petition against the proposed demolition of the building and two additional letters of representation that had been received, and set out written statements from the Reading Conservation Area Advisory Committee, Caversham and District Residents Association and the Bell Tower Community Association. The report also explained that the applicant had agreed to make an Addendum to the original Financial Viability report publicly available, which was attached at Appendix 1. The information had been provided to support the revised affordable housing position and showed that, should permission be granted, the developer was willing to accept a less competitive rate of return on the site.  The applicant had also confirmed that the application’s CIL obligation and S106 contribution for Open Space and Leisure would not affect the agreed affordable housing offer as set out in Appendix 1.

Comments and objections were received and considered.

Objectors Evelyn Williams (Reading Conservation Area Advisory Committee) and David Neale (Bell Tower Community Association), and Sam Berg the applicant’s agent, attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this application.

Resolved –

(1)           That application 191792/FUL be refused for the following reasons:

a)    the proposed removal of a building classified as a non-designated heritage asset would cause substantial harm to the special architectural and historical interest of that asset and a reduction in significance of the remaining buildings to the rear resulting in harm to those remaining non-designated heritage assets, contrary to policies EN1 and EN4 of the Local Plan and Section 16 of the NPPF;

b)    the proposed replacement building would be out of scale with the neighbouring buildings within the adjoining sites on Northfield Road and Caversham Road and the development would therefore fail to appropriately transition down to the more modestly-scaled buildings due to the proximity and the abrupt change in the building height, contrary to Policies CC7, EN1 and EN4 of the Local Plan;

c)    the lack of a Section 106 agreement;

(2)           That the Deputy Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to finalise the reasons for refusal and the informatives, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee and Ward Councillors.