The annual performance of Reading council’s planning team has been celebrated as most appeals against its decisions have been swatted away.
When a plan is refused, an applicant will be allowed to appeal against the decision to the government’s planning inspectorate.
This is part of the ministry of housing, communities and local government, where an inspector is selected to determine the appeal.
Appeals can have varying degrees of success, but typically they are dismissed.
In the last council year, 2024/25, of the 27 appeals decided, only three (11 per cent) were allowed.
The most high-profile example of an appeal being dismissed was the refused project to demolish the office building at 10 Eaton Place and replace it with 15 flats.
The plan was refused over concerns developer Hamble Residential had not supplied enough mitigation measures to tackle potential noise complaints from future residents against The Butler pub and The Face Bar, which host music events.
An inspector allowed an appeal to build 14 flats next to the Clock House in Kings Road, and another inspector allowed an appeal for a wooden garage to be built in Westwood Road, Tilehurst.
The numbers for the appeals decided feature in the council’s annual performance monitoring report 2024/25, presented by Julie Williams, the council’s development manager at the latest planning applications committee meeting.
The decisions mentioned above can be found on the government’s planning inspectorate website, as the decision for each of the appeals does not feature in the report.
The team is required to file such reports each year to ensure they are complying with government statutory monitoring targets.
The report also stated that the council raised £967,488 from planning fees in the year.
Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley), lead councillor for planning and assets, said: “This always reads well, you’re well and above your statutory monitoring targets.
“I’ll take this opportunity to mention the appeals, we have to be very focused on the National Planning Policy Framework when we’re refusing.
“4.9 out of five for this one.”
The planning team has faced challenges due to having to relocate floors while work takes place to build the new Central Library at the council offices.
Julie Williams said: “Team spirit has been helped in a way by having to endure being relocated from one floor to another, and also settling in while putting up with no heating for quite a while, and the construction noise which carries on, and sometimes both.
“I’m very grateful for their mainly good humour from staff, and all their hard work.”
Cllr Leng said: “I feel your pain with the work that’s going on.
“That noise you can hear, that’s progress. I popped up to the second and third floor, where the big wigs are, and there was a fair bit of dust.”
The annual report was noted at the council meeting on Wednesday, April 30.
