Here’s our round-up of the most interesting planning decisions made by Reading Borough Council (RBC) this week.

This week’s edition includes the loss of a fish and chip shop, a rejected plan for three houses in a ‘cramped’ space and a homeowner getting her dream swimming pool at the second time of asking.

‘Overdevelopment’: Bungalow demolition and ‘cramped’ three-house plan rejected

Plans for a chalet bungalow in Tilehurst to be demolished and replaced with three new houses have been refused for a second time.

The previous application to knock down a chalet bungalow on Chichester Road and build two three-bed houses and one two-bed house was rejected in February 2019 because of:

  • The high number of bedrooms compared to the size of the plot
  • The uncharacteristically small garden areas
  • The overly dominant parking area.

Planning officers at RBC said the development would result in a cramped arrangement of buildings and spaces, representing an overdevelopment of the site.

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One neighbour commented on the latest application: “This application is no different to the previous application 182117. That application was refused and so should this one for exactly the same reasons.”

The council agreed that the new application was no more worthy of approval than the last and refused it this week.

Making a splash: Swimming pool delight for Caversham homeowner

A Caversham homeowner will finally get their dream swimming pool at the second time of asking.

The application for prior approval for a swimming pool in a back garden on Gosbrook Road was refused by council planning officers in January.

Planning officers rejected the proposal because the homeowner said she wanted to use the swimming pool to hold one-to-one swimming lessons as well as for family and friends.

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Building a pool for a business purposes requires planning permission.

In the latest application, the competitive swimmer said the pool will not be used for lessons, which has satisfied the council’s planning department.

Goodbye to Friendly Fry: Fish & chip shop will become two flats

A fish and chip shop on Oxford Road will be transformed into two flats under planning legislation that has cost the council approximately £6 million and 570 affordable homes.

Friendly Fry, on 940 Oxford Road, will become two two-bedroom flats on the ground floor and basement.

The government’s prior approval legislation, which allows developers to transform commercial buildings into homes without seeking planning permission, was amended in 2019 to add takeaway-to-home conversions to the list.

This now means councils must allow developers to change any building (up to 150sqm) to housing that has previously been used for any of the following:

  • Financial and professional services
  • Betting office or pay day loan shop
  • Laundrette
  • Hot food take-aways

‘Out of character’ extensions plan in Emmer Green withdrawn after neighbours raise concerns

Planned extensions to a house in Emmer Green have been withdrawn after neighbours raised concerns over the impact of the development on the character of the area.

Three neighbours sent in comments opposing the two-storey side extensions plan on The Horse Close.

One neighbour said: “I believe this proposal would totally alter the atmosphere of the close”.

They also raised concern that there would be “insufficient space for the plans, which would lead to loss of light and privacy for the neighbour.

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Another said: “The proposed plan seems totally out of character with the existing properties in The Horse Close.

“The mix of houses and bungalows have a separation to each other. It would appear that other two storey extensions in the close have been built on the rear as opposed to the side.”

And one from last week: Newsagents will become ‘healthy eating’ takeaway

Here’s one that was approved by the council after last week’s roundup.

A newsagents in Caversham will be transformed into a ‘healthy eating’ takeaway.

Caversham News, on 171 Caversham Road, will be replaced by a new takeaway which “intends to provide healthy eating options”.

The developer says it “will provide vitality, viability and regeneration benefits” to the area.

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RBC planning officers approved the proposal last week despite opposition from a neighbouring takeaway owner.

Zorbey Satlik, who owns Mamaris Kebabs, said the new takeaway would affect his business “adversely” and would “cause a lot of noise and general disturbance” to residential neighbours.

He said there are “already a lot of restaurants in the area” and the smell from the cooking process will impact upon the community.