Offices that replaced the Huntley and Palmers biscuit factory in Reading are now set to become flats.
The Delta Building at 121 Kings Road was built in the 1990s as offices to replace the Huntley and Palmers factory that was demolished in the 1980s.
The building is the easternmost of three blocks on the wider site.
The owners London Two have recently won permission to convert it into 77 flats, providing 58 one-bed and 19 two-bed apartments.
Future occupants will be able to make use of 83 car parking spaces, with five disabled bays, four visitor parking bays, seven electric vehicle charging points and two car club bays.
The project can go ahead after London Two won planning consent from Reading Borough Council.
The application has been granted subject to external modifications being made to ensure all flats have adequate daylight access.
The conversion of commercial properties into homes is considered permitted development following planning reforms made by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government introduced in 2013.
Large conversions require permission from the local planning authority to ensure future occupants have suitable living conditions, which includes access to daylight.
Planning officer Matt Burns wrote: “The building requires some external alterations, namely provision of additional windows, for appropriate levels of light to be provided to all rooms.
“The applicant made a separate planning application, ref. PL/25/0466, which was approved on May 20.
“The works proposed as part of that application would ensure that all habitable rooms would receive appropriate levels of daylight, and a condition is proposed to ensure that the works under ref. PL/25/0466 are completed prior to occupation of the units.
“An internal daylight assessment has been submitted with the application and this demonstrates that all rooms would receive adequate levels of natural light following the completion of the works proposed under the separate planning permission.”
The project was approved on May 20. You can view it by typing reference PL/25/0470 into the council’s planning portal.
It follows news that developers S & S Quality Contractors won permission to convert the westernmost building at Kennet Place into 93 flats in October last year.
The 2013 reform of planning law to classify the conversion of commercial to residential as permitted development has proven unpopular with councils as they are not able to charge community infrastructure levy (CIL) for the projects.
CIL is used to pay for council services and infrastructure such as schools, transport, health facilities, and community amenities.
Developers who submit permitted development applications are also exempt from having to provide affordable housing.
