Plan for 46 homes at Reading car park submitted

A developer has applied to knock down the car park and storage unit at the Old Customs House site and replace it with housing. 

That’s one of the plans that have been submitted to Reading Borough Council this week.

READ MORE: Plan for 46 homes near Reading town centre refused

Elsewhere, changes are coming to the oldest church in the town, and an Indian food business will expand its operations into Caversham.

You can view each application by typing its reference in brackets into the council’s planning portal.

Plan to replace car park with homes near town centre (230814)

What the site looks like in Upper Crown Street, Reading at the moment. Credit: Google Maps

Irongate Property has applied to replace the Old Customs House with 46 homes.

The site is currently used as a storage unit and a roof level car park with 70 spaces.

The building plan for two proposed apartment buildings and terraced houses in Upper Crown Street near Reading town centre. Credit: Colony Architects

These would be replaced with a terrace of four homes and two apartment buildings, with one containing 28 flats and the other containing 14 affordable apartments.

The plan actually increases the amount of parking spaces to 86, with 68 being provided to an existing site leaseholder, 16 provided to the new development and two reserved for sub station servicing.

New fencing and gates for Reading Minster approved (230228)

The plan for where the new wall at Reading Minster will be located. Credit: Google Earth / STL Architecture

St Mary’s Church, better known as Reading Minster, will be getting new wall with railing along its northern border.

The plan, was submitted by Reading Central and Abbey Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) to secure the churchyard, which involves extending the current wall and installing two electric gates that replace existing pedestrian access.

A cross section of what the new wall at Reading Minster will look like. Credit: STL Architecture

It was approved at the council’s planning meeting on Thursday, July 19.

Councillor Stephen Goss (Conservative, Emmer Green) said: “What is proposed is both functional and an aesthetic improvement, that is why I warmly welcome the proposals and the design, because it is so sensitive to what remains at the churchyard.”

Indian food business expands into Caversham (230932)

The Chilis convenience store at 40 Church Street in Caversham. Credit: Planning Additions

A growing Indian food business has expanded into Caversham.

The Chilis food business is gearing up to open a convenience store at 40 Church Street. One of the business owner’s Krishna Vangala has now applied for a new sign at the store.

Chilis established its first restaurant in Newbury and opened its buffet restaurant at The Village mall in the town centre in November last year.

Window and lights works at historic house (230616)

85 London Road in Reading. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

The owner of 85 London Road has applied to replace windows and lights and make changes to doors to the lower ground floor.

The windows would be replaced with conservation style double-glazed alternatives.

A heritage has been submitted with the application, as the house is Grade II listed due to it being built in 1833 in an Eldon Square style.

In the statement, there are complaints of harm to the area due to neighbouring homes being converted into flats that are ‘poorly looked after’ according to the owner’s planning agent.