The former offices of Auto Trader are set to be converted into a new commercial building and car park after planning permission was granted. 

Auto Trader House and Hartman House at Danehill in Lower Earley, most recently hosting Auto Trader and an audio-visual company respectively, will be demolished to make way for the new development, having been approved by Wokingham Borough Council. 

The site, which has been vacant since 2015, will now be occupied by a single industrial and logistics building and a car park for 48 vehicles – including electric charging points. 

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Planning permission had initially been granted in 2019 for the redevelopment of the site for 76 residential units across three buildings and approval was later granted for the conversion of the existing buildings into 26 homes.  

However, neither application was implemented and, with the planning permission expiring in June, there is no longer any intention to develop the residential units on the site. 

Nodia Properties RR Ltd and Aydevan Developers Ltd submitted the proposal for the site – which forms part of the Cutbush Park Industrial Estate. 

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The existing two storey office buildings have been subject to vandalism and, by agreement with the council, are now partly demolished to deter squatters. 

The developers propose that the new building be 64 x 50.5m, with two 13 metre high pitched roofs. The entrance would have full height glazing and a glass canopy.  

The site will be accessed from a new entrance, located in a similar position to the existing one but re-formed for articulated vehicles. There will be green space at the entrance which allows for signage, car parking - including blue badge spaces and cycle stands - and planting.  

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The access road will lead across the site to a service area, and further parking, located at the south-western end of the site. 

The plan received no objections from Earley Town Council, who approved the proposal unanimously, and even praised the applicant for the 26 allocated cycle parking spaces exceeding the provision standards by 8.  

It also drew support from other businesses situated within the industrial estate. 

Chris Brown, the managing director of Totalsurf, a web design and SEO company, said: “I would like to express my support for the plans, as the current site is an eyesore and blot on the landscape.” 

He added: “I feel double yellows would assist greatly in the safety of vehicles entering and exiting the site.”