PROPOSALS to demolish Reading’s driving test centre, which is currently in use by learner drivers, and replace it with flats, has been rejected.
Based on Elgar Road South, the one-storey brick building is in the sights of developer Maxika Homes, which wants to replace it with an apartment block.
This is the third time the proposal has been rejected.
In December last year, Reading Borough Council’s planning committee refused a plan for 18 flats.
The council’s decision notice criticised the application for its ‘poor and insecure choice of layout’, lack of information about affordable housing and having ‘substandard’ cycle storage which would be ‘at risk of break-ins’.
Maxika Homes appealed, but the government’s planning inspector James Blackwell dismissed it, as the developers had failed to agree a financial contribution to mitigate the lack of outdoor space.
Its most recent plan, for 16 apartments, was refused at a recent planning meeting.
This would have been a three-storey apartment block containing eight one-bed, seven two-bed and one three-bedroom flats.
Council planning officers said acceptable changes had been made, which involved moving cycle storage inside the proposed building, changes to the entrance and exits to make them more secure, adapted window arrangements to provide more daylight, and the removal of front private outdoor amenity space in favour of communal space.
The committee had reservations.
Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith (Labour, Church) said the plan did not comply with the council’s housing policy, which states that for proposals for 10 new homes or more, 50% or more of them should have at least three bedrooms.
Earlier, officerspointed out that inspector Blackwell sided with Maxika Homes regarding the character, appearance, cycle storage and crime prevention concerns.
Cllr Josh Williams (Green, Park) disagreed with inspector Blackwell’s conclusions, calling them “subjective”.
The latest plan was refused unanimously by the committee when it met on Wednesday, December 7. The main reasons were the lack of outdoor amenity space provided and the failure to comply with housing policy H2, which is outlined in the Reading Borough Local Plan 2019.
The plan can be viewed on Reading Borough Council’s planning portal, searching for reference 220258.
