A DEVELOPER hoping to build flats in west Reading is appealing after an application to reduce the number of affordable homes was rejected.
Stonegate Homes wants to create a six-storey apartment in Moulsford Mews, on the site of the former Curzon Club and near the former Battle Hospital site off Oxford Road. It would comprise a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with two commercial units on the ground floor.
In January 2021, the firm was granted permission to build the apartments with eight (30%) of the flats being affordable. Before construction began, it sought to reduce this provision to three homes: a one-bed flat and two two-bed, saying the original scheme would be economically unviable.
Reading Borough Council’s planning committee rejected the change in October last year. Stonegate is appealing to the government planning inspectorate.
At the time, a planning officer said: “Both the applicant and the council’s valuer agree that the current scheme is in significant financial deficit, and based on the figures provided, it would not be financially viable to build, particularly due to the increase in build costs since the previous permission was granted.”
The three affordable flats would represent 11.5% affordable provision, below the council’s standard of 30%.
At the time, Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith (Labour, Church) said: “If we don’t stick with our 30% on this one our credibility in terms of that policy would be down to zero, because this is just about the ideal situation where it could be and should be implemented.”
Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley), lead member for planning, argued that it’s not the council’s job to protect developer’s profits.
The planning committee felt the revised plan ‘fails to contribute adequately to the housing needs of Reading Borough’.
The appeal was launched in February, and it will be determined by a planning inspector.
The rejected application can be viewed by typing reference 220776 into the council’s planning portal. The original, approved, plan approved is reference 201391.
The appeal can be tracked on the government planning inspectorate website using reference APP/E0345/W/22/3310834.
Stonegate Homes has been contacted for a response.
