Reading town centre changes that will create more than 100 short-stay rooms, shops and an exciting courtyard area have been discussed.
Plans have been in the works for years to redevelop the buildings at the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Friar Street to provide serviced apartments, shops and a courtyard.
Site owners Thackeray Estates won approval to create more than 100 short-stay apartments, six new shops and a 163-bed hotel incorporating The Bugle pub in Frair Street in December 2022.
But revisions were made earlier this year, with councillors raising concerns about the loss of facilities for future occupants.
A core part of the project is to transform the upper floors of the existing buildings into apart-hotel rooms for people making short stays in Reading.
The maximum stipulated stay is three months, with revisions increasing apart-hotel rooms by three, from the 104 approved to 107.
Redesigns have meant that the short-stay ‘apart-hotel’ rooms are slightly smaller than those approved in December 2022, with each coming with a double bedroom and ensuite, with all but one room coming with a kitchenette.
The changes also mean a gym and laundrette provided at basement level in the approved project were removed to provide plant and back-of-house space for the apart-hotel.
The removal of the laundrette was met with concern by members of Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee.
At a meeting on July 24, councillor Andrew Hornsby-Smith (Labour, Church) said: “Given that the rooms will be slightly smaller, how are residents supposed to do their laundry?”
Jonathan Markwell, principal planning officer replied that there is no specific onsite provision for laundry contained in the plans, therefore occupants would have to ‘make their own arrangements’ and seek assistance from the apart-hotel staff.
Cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) speaking later in the meeting, said the apart-htoel operators ‘would almost have to’ provide a laundrette service to stay competitive with other serviced apartment providers.
There was also disappointment that the number of shops provided would reduce from six to three.
This change was in breach of the council’s planning policy CR8, which states that areas characterised by smaller shops like Queen Victoria Street should not have larger stores created in them.
Cllr Richard Davies (Labour, Thames) said: “It does feel like we spend quite a lot of time doing reluctant grumpy support for applications on this committee.”
Mr Markwell also said Thackeray Estates also sought permission for ground floor units to open at 6am an hour earlier than approved beforehand.
Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) said: “Most of these changes, if I’m being quite direct, don’t make me all that happy.”
However, she conceded that the plans have been adjusted as Thackeray Estates responds to changing market conditions.
Ultimately, councillors unanimously approved the changes at a meeting on Wednesday, July 24.
You can view the approved project by typing references 240422 and 240424 into the council’s planning portal.
