Changes have been made to a project to build flats by the river in Reading – but neighbours raised fears that the new blocks will tower over existing homes.
Housebuilder Berkeley Group has planned to build 209 apartments on the south bank of the River Thames for years. The project involves the demolition of an old power station, previously owned by SSE, so eight new blocks containing apartments can be built.
While the project was approved by the government planning inspectorate in March 2022, changes had to be made for it to comply with fire regulations requiring buildings over 18-metres tall to have two staircases.
Ben Ralston and others living in neighbouring streets, objected to the project, arguing the blocks would tower over their homes.
The changes were discussed by Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee.
At a meeting Mr Ralston, representing neighbours in Lynmouth Road, said: “I was very disappointed that the council’s original rejection of the plan was overturned by central government.
“The tower blocks moved closer to Lynmouth Road and a little bit higher, and also to the Thames.
“Residents feel uncomfortable with large buildings like that so close to the Thames.”
He also argued one of the towers overshadows Christchurch Bridge, which provides walking and cycling access to the site.
Caroline McHardy, a land director at Berkeley Homes, said that improvements brought by the development included the delivery of ‘high quality’ new homes, opening up the site for greater accessibility and promoting walking and cycling between Reading and Caversham.
The committee ultimately agreed that the benefits of the development outweighed the negatives.
Micky Leng, lead councillor for planning, acknowledged the ‘elephant in the room’ that the committee rejected the project in 2021, but argued that some of the changes were ‘very beneficial’.
Councillor Leng said: “Let’s face it, it’s a pretty tired old industrial site, and I think they have been very sympathetic of keeping the character of an industrial-type heritage, I congratulate them on that.”
Mr Ralston was unconvinced by the arguments made.
As the committee was set to vote, Mr Ralston said: “Are they really going to go up from four floors to five floors behind my house?
“They will already look into my back garden. They are going to go further up?
“Is that what you are approving here? You talk about benefits, what benefits, to Berkeley Homes? What about the residents?”
The adaptations were unanimously approved by the planning applications committee on Wednesday, March 27.
Design changes meant that nine two-bed flats had to become one-bed flats instead to accommodate additional staircases required by law.
The development will now be made up of 70 one-bed, 127 two-bed and 12 three-bed flats.
