A former family support centre could become a 100 per cent affordable housing ‘surrogate site’ to a major town centre development.

Lochailort’s 315-home Thames Quarter project in east Reading was granted last year, on the condition that the developer provide a separate 25 to 56-home site with 100 per cent affordable housing.

Reading Borough Council approved two separate plans for 47 homes at the former Reading Family Centre, on North Street, last week (December 5), one of which would provide 100 per cent affordable housing.

The other proposal would provide 30 per cent affordable housing, or 14 homes, and Lochailort would have to invest in a 100 per cent affordable housing site elsewhere.

Councillor Tony Page said: “Those of us who were involved with the Thames Quarter application were impressed with the imaginative solution that was offered to the issue of affordable housing.

“We very much hope it is the 100 per cent scheme that materialises, reflecting our high priority for new build social rent housing in the borough.

“This is an ideal site for that and will make good use of that area of land.”

Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) planning committee approved Lochailort’s 315-home Thames Quarter project at the former Cooper BMW garage on Napier Road in September 2017, with zero affordable housing.

The developer was required to provide another site with affordable housing, prior to completion of the Thames Quarter project, to make up for the lack of on-site affordable housing.

Officers said the scheme was unlikely to be developed by Lochailort.

The council’s approval allows the developer to work out the value of the site, before handing over the scheme to a registered provider, which could be RBC or a housing association.

Richard Eatough, planning officer, said officers were satisfied that both applications could provide suitable affordable housing schemes.

He said the surrogate site could be delivered elsewhere using the parameters of the 100 per cent affordable housing application.