A fresh plan has been submitted for the long vacant Bristol & West Arcade in Reading town centre.
The arcade has seen a number of plans submitted for it in recent years, but apparently none of them have been actioned.
The newest applications, for the arcade addressed at 173-175 Friar Street, include converting it into 26 flats.
In Caversham, a developer has submitted a plan to build a new house containing two three-bedroom homes to the south of Reading Cemetery.
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And in the town centre, the owner of a solicitors office has applied to convert the building into three flats.
You can each plan by typing in the reference number in brackets on the council’s planning website here.
New plans for Bristol & West Arcade totalling 26 flats (220579 and 220577)
Applicants Mountley Ltd has applied to convert the Bristol & West Arcade at the end of Friar Street into 26 flats.
One part of the arcade would be converted into 17 one-bed apartments and three two-bed apartments.
Of the one beds, five one bed appropriate for two people, and 12 would be reserved for single occupants.
The other part, closer to Market Place, would be converted into six one-bed apartments.
Crucially, the ground floor retail space does not fall within these plans, which only relate to the first, second and third floors.
The plans have been split into two applications:
- 220579 – for 20 flats at 173-174 Friar Street
- 220577 – for six flats at 175 Friar Street
Last July, consent was given to redevelop the arcade to form a 182 bed, eight-storey hotel with a restaurant and a pub a street level.
However, no evident work outside the building has been undertaken.
Application to build new house in Caversham (220451)
Bockmer Developments Ltd has applied to build a new house in to the rear of the existing house at 5 Woods Road in Caversham.
The house will contain two three-bedroom homes, each coming with a kitchen, living room, master bedroom with ensuite shower and two single bedrooms.
There would be a family bathroom upstairs and a toilet downstairs.
The homes would be accessed from Orchard Grove, with each one having two car parking spaces.
The existing house at 5 Woods Road would be unaffected.
A plan to build new two houses on the site, one semi detached and one detached, was refused and dismissed on appeal in 2019.
Conversion of offices into flats in Reading town centre (220583)
Andrew Cosma, the owner of 31 Castle Street, has applied to convert it from offices into three flats.
The building has been occupied by Martin Murray & Associates Solicitors.
Mr Cosma’s plan involves the creation of two two-bedroom flats on the ground floor and first floor, and a one bedroom flat on the second floor.
Each would come with a bathroom, with the two bedroom flats also having a living room.
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