PLANS for turning Reading Central Club into a block of flats have been approved, but residents say it should be restored for its original use.

Reading Central Club, London Road, has been closed since 2006 and has had "15 years of pain" amid plans for bringing the site back into use.

Developers submitted a plan to build 17 apartments and community space which involves the demolition of the Central Club building and its replacement with a three store building containing seven one-bed, seven two-bed and three three-bed apartments.

READ MORE: Changes finally coming to Reading Central Club after '15 years of pain'

Reading Borough Council gave over the site on the provision that the Black History Mural be preserved and restored as part of future plans.

The Black History Mural has paintings of Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jnr, and other figures from Black history, which residents have called "part of Reading".

Reading residents have had their say on the plans, questioning the need for more flats.

Lesia Rockell-Panas commented: "Why build more flats that people cannot afford to rent?"

Michelle Belcher added that is is a "shame" that the building can't be restored as a community centre, before claiming that Reading is "a concrete jungle now".

Speaking about the historic mural, Michelle said the art has been "part of Reading for years. It's not graffiti".

Faycal Badreddine agrees: "The mural paint has a history and mean something. Why not building a cultural centre, museum or hotel for the needy instead of flats".

Peter Jap Graham-Clarke also calls for the central club to be "renovated back to its original use".

The proposals include 17 flats and a community area, however, residents also question this.

Aimee Driscoll said: "I wonder what kind of community space they’re going to be able to create in amongst 17 flats!".

Imke Wilson agreed: "'Community space'without so much as a toilet store cupboards and a kitchenette facility. That has to be a joke."

Speaking about this, Councillor Simon Robinson, said: “A major red flag I have is around community space. When we have an application that comes before plan, to be faced with a situation where it’s a ‘oh we haven’t given that much thought that, we’re waiting and we will build it in later’.

“If we’re considering a planning application we like to have everything in place. I’m not happy with this particular design or development.”

Another councillor said that approval would allow space for to be returned to the Black community after such a long closure.