A decision is due on a project that will change the destination shopping centre in Reading forever.
Plans have been in the works for years to replace the Vue Cinema and former Debenhams department store at The Oracle with more than 400 apartments and new facilities.
Now, members of Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee are expected to make a decision on the project after a delay last year.
The plans are split in two, with one relating to the Vue building on the south bank of the River Kennet, and another relating to the former Debenhams on the north bank.
The southern proposal involves completely demolishing the building containing Vue, the Cote Brasserie and Miller & Carter restaurants.
Hammerson, the owning company of The Oracle, want to replace it with three blocks built between 16 and six storeys tall, containing 218 flats.
A Vue cinema would be re-provided within one of the blocks, albeit at a smaller scale.
The cinema currently contains 10 screens and a maximum capacity of 1,800 seats.
This would reduce to seven screens with a 511-seat capacity, a net loss of three screens and 1,289 seats.
A restaurant and leisure would also be created, resulting in a net loss of three restaurant units.
On the other side of the River Kennet, the former Debenhams would be partly demolished so two blocks between 21 and eight storeys can be created.
The blocks would contain 218 flats, with a ‘leisure unit’, a restaurant and co-working shared office space.
In total, the project would provide 436 apartments, a leisure unit, two restaurants or equivalent businesses and co-working space.
A decision was meant to be made by councillors last December, but was postponed so they could take an accompanied site visit with the council’s planning team.
The project has been assessed by Matt Burns, the council’s principal planning officer.
Concern has been raised about the lack of affordable housing provision, with 10 per cent of the development being designated affordable, amounting to an approximate total of 44 flats being made available at Reading Local Housing Allowance levels.
These amount to £195.62 per week for a self-contained one-bed flat, £252 for a two-bed home and £299.18 per week for a three-bed home.
The entirety of the development is ‘build-to-rent’, meaning none of the flats will be available for purchase.
The apartments will be managed by Packaged Living, the company which has also been identified as the residential provider for the planned Waterfront Square development of 254 flats.
Mr Burns also expressed concern about the ‘overdominance’ of one-bed flats totalling 207 units.
But ultimately, he recommended both plans for approval.
The project will be decided at the planning applications committee meeting on Wednesday, February 4.
You can view each application on the council’s planning portal.
Application PL/22/1917 relates to the Vue cinema building, and PL/22/1916 relates to the former Debenhams site.
