A decision is due on a plan for John Lewis to build more than 150 apartments in Reading town centre as the company enters the housing market.
The John Lewis Partnership has had plans for years to enter the housing market as a ‘build-to-rent’ landlord.
The company identified its customer collections centre, which has been closed for years, as a place to be redeveloped for housing.
Now a decision is due on its plan to build apartments on the site.
John Lewis scaled back its plan earlier this year, reducing the amount of flats provided from 215 to 170, a reduction of 45 apartments.
The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & West Berkshire (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) expressed concern about the pressure the development would have on healthcare services.
Jeffrey Ng, the primary care lead for estates at the BOB ICB, therefore requested a six-figure sum from the John Lewis Partnership to help pay for a new primary care facility at the Broad Street Mall.
He initially requested a commitment of £185,760, which was reduced to £146,880 following the scaling back of the project and negotiations with the council.
Meanwhile, the council’s planning team raised concerns about the size and affordability of the flats suggested.
The partnership has applied to create 79 one-bedroom, 81 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom apartments.
Planning officer Anthony Scoles pointed out that 46 per cent of the development would be one-bedroom, which is against the council’s policy that a maximum of 40 per cent of homes for developments within Central Reading be one-beds or studios.
The plan also fails to comply with the council’s target of 30 per cent of homes provided being designated affordable.
Instead, no less than 17 flats (10 per cent) will be made affordable at local housing allowance rent levels, with five three-bed and four two-bed flats being wheelchair accessible.
Ultimately, Mr Scoles has recommended that the project be approved. The conclusion to his report states: “The proposed development would redevelop an underutilised site within a highly accessible location, this is a clear benefit of the scheme and officers afford this significant weight.
“A communal residential garden that has private access for residents will also provide a good level of amenity in this very urban location.
“Not all sites within the town centre and surrounds would have space on site for such a facility and is considered a welcome addition.
“The accommodation contains an overprovision of one-bed flats compared to policy, which results in harm in terms of choice for potential residents.”
The project is due to be decided by councillors at a planning applications committee meeting on Thursday, October 9.
You can view the application by typing reference PL/24/1155 into the council’s planning portal.
The recommended approval is subject to John Lewis entering into a section 106 legal agreement with the council.
Elsewhere, the John Lewis Partnership has won an appeal to create 428 apartments above a Waitrose in West Ealing, and approval to create 353 homes at a Waitrose in Bromley.
