This week’s planning roundup features Royal Berkshire Hospital, the Oracle and a hotel, as well as Greggs and a botox clinic.
With little in the way of interesting planning decisions made in the last seven days, this week we focus on recently submitted planning applications to Reading Borough Council.
Five-flat plan and bungalow demolition
Plans have been submitted to demolish a small bungalow and replace it with a one-to-two-storey building with five flats, including a three-bed apartment, two two-bed apartments and two one-bed flats.
The proposal for 1a North Street in Caversham comes from developers Lucky Trading Ltd.
Six flats planned to replace industrial building
An industrial building near Royal Berkshire Hospital could be replaced with six flats.
The building at 111a Watlington Street would be demolished and replaced with a three-storey building, if the plans are approved.
Three-bed house in Whitley Wood
In another plan to increase the amount of homes in Reading, proposals have been submitted to build a three-bed house on an empty plot at 198 Whitley Wood Lane.
Royal Berks A&E extension plan
Having recently had plans approved for an extension to its A&E department, Royal Berkshire Hospital is now looking to extend it even further.
The hospital’s trust says there is an identified need to reconfigure and extend A+E department at the hospital and its initial plans did not go far enough.
READ MORE: New plans for large extension to A+E department at Royal Berkshire Hospital
The previous approved plans were to extend the lobby by 20.4m² but the trust now wants an extension of 88.2m² to allow for a point of care testing area and staff lounge.
Greggs plan at former Carphone Warehouse
Reading is set to get another Greggs, with plans submitted for a new branch in the south of the town.
Greggs plc is seeking planning permission to open a new store at the Whiteknights Retail Park in south Reading, near Whitley, Lower Earley and the University of Reading.
READ MORE: Reading set to get new Greggs at former Carphone Warehouse
The unit was most recently a Carphone Warehouse.
Former Costa coffee shop at The Oracle could become botox clinic
A former chain coffee shop at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading could become a botox and laser clinic.
The Oracle has found a new retailer to take over the vacant Unit 30 from Costa, which left the premises in January.
READ MORE: Former Costa coffee shop at The Oracle could become botox clinic
And finally…
A 186-room four-star hotel is planned at the derelict former Bristol & West Arcade in the town centre.
Developer Sonic Star Properties will submit plans for the site in January 2021, having abandoned previous approved proposals for the former arcade on Friar Street.
READ MORE: New four-star hotel plan for former arcade in Reading town centre
The scheme replaces the previous plan for offices, 35 flats and five shops that was approved by the council’s Planning Applications committee in July 2018.
The previous approval development included plans for a new pub, 43 flats, office space and shops at three grade-II listed buildings, on 27-32 Market Place, and these remain part of the plans.
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