The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval to undertake community involvement on a Draft Design Guide to Shopfronts SPD (attached to the report at Appendix 1) to provide guidance on how planning applications for applications affecting shopfronts would be decided.

The report noted that, with the new Reading Borough Local Plan having been adopted in November 2019, the Council was in the process of publishing a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), which gave further guidance on the implementation of policies within the Local Plan.  Currently, Reading did not have an adopted Design Guide to Shopfronts SPD and there was therefore limited guidance for both applicants and planning officers in determining planning decisions.  Establishing such guidance would be timely particularly as the Council began to deliver the Reading Heritage High Streets Action Zone programme.  The Guide would apply to shopfronts across the whole Borough and additionally, as the nature of the high street was changing, would provide advice for conversions of shopfronts to residential use.

The report explained that the draft document would be subject to a consultation, to begin in July 2021 and extended to eight weeks due to the school summer holidays.  Responses received would be considered in preparing a final draft SPD which was intended to be adopted in Autumn 2021.

Resolved –

(1)      That the Draft Design Guide for Shopfronts SPD (Appendix 1) be approved for consultation;

(2)      That the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Regulatory Services be authorised to make any minor amendments necessary to the SPD that did not alter the policy direction, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, prior to consultation.