PLANS to build new flats in Silver Street have been given the green light.
Previously home to Sapphire, a commercial balustrades and handrails business, the site has been dormant ever since.
It was previously described as being ‘scruffy and awful’ by Rose Williams, who was then a councillor, back in 2018.
The single-storey building was demolished a year later, with a larger neighbouring building flattened in 2020.
There have been allegations of illegal building work supposedly leading to a rat infestation at the nearby Hawk Cottages, with neighbour Patricia Tynan claiming to have killed more than 100 of the vermin.
Councillors have rejected previous applications after deeming them to be inappropriate.
A plan for 62 student flats was dismissed on appeal to the planning inspectorate in 2018, and a bigger project for 79 student flats was dismissed on appeal in 2021.
Now a developer is to build 23 flats following a decision by councillors on Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee.
At a meeting, Cllr Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) said: “When I think back, we were looking at 60-80 student studio flats at one time being crammed on to this site, so 23 homes represents a really good use of this site as far as I can see.
“Although it’s limited, I’m delighted to see some open amenity space provided for residents, so I think it will be a huge improvement of the site which is now derelict.”
The new building will provide four three-bed, 11 two-bed and eight one-bed flats.
Of those, four two-bed and three two-bed flats will be provided at affordable private rent levels, which is 80%of the market rate.
A condition will dictate that the council’s housing team will have a Nominations Agreement with the developer to find tenants, a measure celebrated by Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley), lead councillor for planning and assets.
However, Cllr Simon Robinson (Conservatives, Emmer Green) expressed ‘major concern’ over the lack of parking.
The development would provide 11 car parking spaces, of which one would be disabled, and another would be reserved for electric vehicle charging.
Cllr Robinson said: “I believe that is wholly inadequate. That area already suffers with issues for free parking for residents, so is this adequate for what we are hoping for? In my opinion it’s not, so sadly, I’ll be voting against.”
Disagreeing, Cllr Richard Davies (Labour, Thames) said: “The development is within walking distance of the town centre, within walking distance of incredibly good communications and transport links.
“We are trying to encourage people to use alternative forms of transport, particularly when they are close to public transport networks.”
Only Cllr Robinson voted against the project, in what would be his last meeting as an elected councillor as it took place before the local elections.
The approved project can be seen by searching for application 201766 into the council’s planning portal.
