A plan to add flats to shops and offices in the heart of Woodley has been refused over concerns about its impact on neighbours.
A developer had submitted a plan for significant modifications and extensions to the Woodley Library Parade building in the town centre for it to provide 16 apartments.
The building is currently two storeys tall with shops on the ground floor and the offices on the first floor with the modifications involving converting existing upper floors and extending the building upwards to create 11 one-bed and five two-bed flats.
However, the plan for the Library Parade was shot down over concerns the occupants of any new flats would be able to look directly into neighbouring properties.
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The issues were discussed at a Wokingham Borough Council planning meeting, where councillors pointed out the proximity between the proposed apartments and existing flats at the 6 Headley Road, which is three storeys tall and contains Lidl and Woodley Central Surgery.
The extended Library Parade building would have been four storey and a similar size to 6 Headley Road.
Councillor Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrats, Twyford) said: “Whatever its merits in other regards, and it has some merits, I’m afraid those merits don’t overcome the harm done.”
He pointed out that the windows of the new east facing flats would only be 11 metres away from the existing apartments at 6 Headley Road.
Cllr Conway said: “I don’t think this is an acceptable relationship. I think it will give scope for overlooking, and it will make people feel as though they are overlooked even if they are not physically being overlooked.”
The plan was also opposed by Woodley Town Council’s planning committee, which argued the flats would overlook Beechwood Primary School in Ambleside Close, lead to a loss of parking for the existing shops, and create a ‘wind tunnel’ effect alongside existing buildings.
Meanwhile, Wokingham Borough Council’s planning department had recommended it for conditional approval, with planning officer Adriana Gonzalez concluding that the new homes would be in a sustainable location.
Therefore, she recommended it for approval subject to the provision of five of the one-bed apartments being made available through affordable rent and the creation of an employment skills plan.
Ultimately, the councillors decided to refuse the plan at the meeting on Wednesday, March 8.
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You can view the application by typing reference 222367 into the council’s planning portal.
The plan had been discussed at a meeting in February, where concerns about the loss of car parking for the existing shops were raised.
Approval would have resulted in the loss of 13 spaces to the rear of the building to make way for extensions.
Meanwhile, the site would have been reconfigured to provide 10 parking spaces for the new occupants, with six having electric charging and two being reserved as disabled bays.
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