• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Mercury-nominated John Bramwell coming to Face Bar in September

    Mayor and MP Matt Rodda attend Lets Celebrate Towns Awards

    Ofwat set to be abolished, Environment Secretary announces

    Oxford Road business fined nearly £2,500 and ordered to remove shutters and signs

    Surgery ‘sprints’ and ‘e-triage’ bringing NHS waiting lists down in south east, figures show

    Genetics and health study in Berkshire seeking British Bangladeshi and Pakistani participants

    PRIDE OF READING: Meet the sponsors – McDondald’s

    PRIDE OF READING: Meet the sponsors – McDondald’s

    Green Park to see 40 new affordable homes in Abri partnership

    Reading council accused of potential landgrab of western suburbs

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Former Reading FC loanee joins rivals

    Reading FC sign German attacker on permanent deal

    Reading and Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon set for Q&A at Purple Turtle

    Ex-Reading star Ejaria on trial with former Royals manager

    League One side set to win race for former Reading FC young star

    Reading FC opinion: Where are the goals coming from this season?

    Reading FC midfielder Knibbs linked with Championship move

    Reading FC forward Ehibhatiomhan features in friendly despite unresolved future

    Reading FC new signing picks up injury in pre-season match

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Verdict on huge plan to add flats to Broad Street Mall delayed

James Aldridge, local democracy reporter by James Aldridge, local democracy reporter
Saturday, April 5, 2025 6:23 am
in Business, Featured, Reading
A A
BSM Queens Walk Picture: Opus Works

BSM Queens Walk Picture: Opus Works

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The verdict on a huge plan to add hundreds of flats to a landmark shopping mall in Reading town centre has been delayed.

For years there have been plans to add flats to the Broad Street Mall, with the latest iteration seeing 643 apartments added contained within four new towers.

Although a decision on the project was meant to be made at a crunch Reading Borough Council planning meeting, this has been delayed due to concerns about a lack of affordable housing and public open space.

Anthony Iringa, the vice-chair of the Baker Street Area Neighbourhood Association representing residents in the area, argued the sheer height of the towers, with the tallest being 30 storeys, would be harmful to the character of the town centre.

He also pointed out the lack of green open space and play areas provided in the plan.

Mr Iringa said: “High-rise, high-density living demands these spaces to avoid creating 21st-century slums.”

Related posts

Mercury-nominated John Bramwell coming to Face Bar in September

Mayor and MP Matt Rodda attend Lets Celebrate Towns Awards

Former Reading FC loanee joins rivals

Reading FC sign German attacker on permanent deal

The project is being undertaken by mall owners AEW and McLaren Living.

Jonathan Walton a planning agent for Opus Works representing the applicants argued the 643 new flats would significantly meet housing demand.

He said: “To best meet housing need in the borough, it’s important to optimise housing delivery on those sites most capable of supporting this.

“Broad Street Mall is one of few sites in the town centre that can achieve this in an acceptable manner.

“This is a high-quality, landmark solution we can all be proud of. This is a transformative scheme that will rejuvenate a tired and neglected area of the town centre, one that has significant anti-social behaviour issues.”

However, councillors on the planning applications committee agreed that the project does not provide enough affordable housing.

The applicants proposed providing 65 affordable rented flats, 10.1 per cent, which is below the 30 per cent required by policy.

It was also noted that McLaren Living is the appointed developer for the council’s Minster Quarter project for more than 600 homes behind the mall.

Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) said: “There is a conflict, which we all know is there, this is tied in with the Minster Quarter.

“Although this application stands in isolation, it’s relevant, and I think there is also an element, maybe subliminally, where they are possibly thinking that the Minster Quarter can do the heavy lifting with the affordable housing.”

He then lamented that affordable housing is reduced by developers whenever the cost of development increases.

Cllr Leng commented: “When there’s a fiscal ceiling, why is it always the poorest in society that have to take the hit?

“Why is it the affordable housing that gets reduced?”

The developers instead proposed to pay for off-site affordable housing.

Cllr Doug Cresswell (Green, Katesgrove) said: “Off-site provision is not the same as on-site, it’s not housing.”

However, he did welcome the fact that all flats would be wheelchair adaptable.

Cllr Jo Lovelock (Labour, Norcot) proposed that the decision be deferred for further negotiations and clarifications between council officers and the applicants.

Councillors unanimously deferred the decision yesterday (Tuesday, April 2).

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Huge office near Reading town centre to be converted into flats

Next Post

Police appeal for witnesses to Caversham robbery

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • 47-year-old woman arrested after two pedestrians die in road traffic collision in Caversham

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • League One side set to win race for former Reading FC young star

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.