The conversion of a former Reading town centre bank into apartments and a new retail space has been delayed.
The NatWest in Market Place closed in January 2020, following a move of the branch to The Oracle.
Building owners Eurospeak Academy want to convert it into 15 apartments with a retail unit at ground level. The building is Grade II listed and dates back to the mid-1800s, with a Bath stone facade.
Ten of the homes would have two bedrooms, four will be one bedroom flats, and the final apartment would have three beds.
The project cannot go ahead until affordable housing has been resolved, something Reading Borough Council’s planning committee wanted to push for.
Social housing providers Paragon Asra, Metropolitan Thames Valley and Home Group all rejected requests by Eurospeak Academy to manage two affordable rental flats as part of the development.
Cllr Micky Leng, the lead councillor for planning and assets, suggested that the council’s housing department could manage affordable rental properties itself.
“We have a finite amount of land in this town, and we should look to improve our stock levels at all times and get as much affordable housing even if it is in twos and threes,” he said.
“If it is around management, is it easier to manage a housing register of 5,000 and manage homelessness, as it is to manage maybe three on-site affordable homes for rent?
“If Reading Borough Council is a registered provider are to turn it down then this committee and the public should know the reasons why they turn it down.”
Cllr James Moore “completely agreed” with delaying the approval of the project to see whether an affordable housing provider could be secured.
“I thought the lack of affordable housing is really disappointing. Apart from that, the whole application is welcome, and the housing mix is good,” the Tilehurst councillor said.
“This is a place that has been vacant now for four years, so actually to bring that back into use, especially in Market Place, which is so visible, and to keep the ground floor as a commercial place so a new business could take part.
“Affordable housing aside, I think this is a really good use of the site.”
Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) raised concerns about how waste would be collected.
“That section of space really needs to be paid attention to, and it does not need to be a dumping ground, as it’s right off our Forbury Gardens,” she warned, asking developers provide more clarity on how waste will be stored and collected.
Councillors unanimously agreed to defer a decision on the application on Wednesday, May 29.
The application can be viewed on Reading Borough Council’s planning website, using references 230626 and 230627.
