Work is beginning at a former Reading institution store near the town centre to transform it into flats.
Drews the Ironmongers sold heavy-duty work gear and equipment before it closed in October 2018.
Now, construction work is beginning to create a new shop and flats by partially demolishing the building.
Elsewhere, Thames Valley Police (TVP) is closing in on moving into its new headquarters, and progress is being made on a sizeable backland development near the town centre.
You can view each approved application by typing the reference in brackets into Reading Borough Council’s planning portal.
Work starting at Drews (PL/25/0894)
Work is starting on the old Drews the Ironmongers building at 71-73 Caversham Road.
Hoardings and scaffolding have gone up around the building while construction begins on 29 flats and new retail space on the ground floor.
Once complete, the transformed building will be six storeys tall and provide one-three bed, six two-bed and 22 one-bed flats.
Drews closed after 87 years in the town in 2018. The Dawsons music shop nearby was converted into Bowl Central in June this year.
Flagpole approved at upcoming police headquarters (PL/25/0908)
TVP is closing in on opening its new headquarters at Atlantic House in Imperial Way after years of delays.
The force has had plans to move from its existing HQ in Castle Street stretching back to 2019, but the move had been delayed due to issues with its fit-out construction contractor.
Ahead of the facility being opened, TVP has won permission to install a seven-metre-tall flag outside of Atlantic House.
The move will allow the TVP building in Castle Street to be demolished and redeveloped to provide 260 apartments.
Progress for backland development near town centre (PL/25/1051)
Progress is being made on a project to build 21 flats, space for community use and a street frontage at 43 London Street near the town centre.
The project was approved in May 2020, with the flats being provided to the rear of the building, which is next to the Tanatan restaurant that opened several months ago.
The developer won permission to make changes to the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) requirements attached to the project on August 15.
An advert on the website Bid X1 states the development was sold at auction for £955,000.
Extensions to create bedrooms for Whitley home (PL/25/0890)
The new owner of a house in Whitley has won permission for extensions to increase the number of bedrooms.
The detached house currently has living facilities on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the first floor.
An approved two-storey extension will allow two more bedrooms to be added, one downstairs and one upstairs, with a new kitchen and dining area on the ground floor.
According to The Move Market, the house was sold for £310,000 in June.
