A plan to replace a building near Reading town centre has been given the go-ahead after more than a decade.
Shillingford House currently contains four retail units and four flats above it in Oxford Road, in close proximity to the town centre.
Plans have been in the works since 2014 to create more flats on the site, with a plan in 2016 being withdrawn due to concerns council officers raised.
The developer subsequently applied to replace Shillingford House with a new six-storey building containing 13 flats in 2019, providing a three-bed apartment, six two-bed and six one-bed flats.
A verdict on the project was given at a meeting of Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee.
Councillor Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey), who lives nearby, stated that the project falls in the Oxford Road conservation area, arguing the design does not respect that.
She said: We are now looking at putting [something], what I might suggest, has a really large, overbearing, excessive size.
The Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC) pointed it out very well, that it is overbearing.
Along that front of Oxford Road, we’re starting to lose the plot.
Agreeing, cllr Kathryn McCann (Green, Redlands) said: Personally, I think the building has got character and I’ve always quite liked it, and it reminds me of the buildings on London Street, which is also a conservation area, and although it’s 1930s, it fits very well with the design of the much older buildings.
I feel it does have character and quite a presence, whereas the design to replace it is quite bland and modern, and doesn’t have much merit to it.
Cllr Josh Williams (Green, Park) argued demolition should be avoided where possible and criticised the lack of affordable housing offer.
Instead, the developer would have to pay £142,500 to provide affordable housing elsewhere.
Supporting the plan, Cllr John Ennis (Labour, Southcote) said: It would not be viable to retain the current building, let’s be honest, hence that’s why the planners have put forward a new building.
It’s not in keeping with the current street, but it is in keeping with buildings very closeby in Chatham Street.
Welcoming the housing provided, cllr Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) said: “You’ve got 13 new flats there, that does help to address the housing need in Reading, it is on a brownfield site.
“On affordable housing, you would not get a housing provider to take on one or two units, it wouldn’t be viable for them to do that.”
Ultimately, the plan was approved with eight councillors in favour and councillors Rowland, McCann and Williams voting against it on March 4.
Celebrating the news, Ed Mather from Colony Architects said: “We’re delighted to see this landmark regeneration project finally come forward after more than twelve years of close collaboration with the council.
“This site has long been a challenging but important opportunity on Oxford Road, and the approved scheme represents a sensitive heritage-led redevelopment that brings new life to a prominent brownfield corner site.
“Through many iterations and adjustments over the years, the client, design team and the council officers have worked collectively to shape a proposal that respects the historic character of the area while delivering 13 much-needed new homes for Reading.”
Sanja Sharma, the owner, added: “Thanks to my family, friends, colony architects and the council for finally getting the application over the line and to say in the words of a famous film, it’s been emotional!”
You can view the application by typing reference PL/19/0549 into the council’s planning portal.
