Reading flats plan near pub and club to be decided

There has long been a plan to demolish a two-storey defunct office building at the back of The Butler Pub and replace it with flats.

This summer, a plan was submitted by development company Hamble Residential to demolish 10 Eaton Place, a vacant office building and replace it with a new five-storey apartment block.

The scheme replaced an earlier one to build 27 flats on the site, a reduction of 12.

A CGI of what the apartments building would look like in relation to The Butler pub. A plan has been submitted to replace 10 Eaton Place with apartments. Credit: Anomaly

There is concern that noise coming from The Butler pub and The Facebar club would have a negative impact on future occupiers, an issue which has been addressed by council planning officer Matt Burns ahead of a decision on the scheme this week.

Mr Burns accepted the findings of a noise assessment conducted on behalf of the developers, which stated that improved insulation, glazing and mechanical ventilation would be needed for the apartment building to dampen sound coming from the two venues.

In a report, Mr Burns concluded: “A combination of all or some of these measures will be required for each elevation of the proposed development.”

Later, he added: “Often, a pub and residential uses are commonly seen as compatible uses.

“Most urban and rural pubs across the country are traditionally located next to or within close proximity of a residential use.

“In Reading itself, there are a number of successful and longstanding pubs which operate successfully with similar characteristics to the application site.”

The development would be car-free due to its proximity to the town centre, with 13 cycle parking spaces being provided.

Of the 15 flats that make up the current scheme, Hamble Residential wants to build eight two-bed, three one-bed and four three-bed maisonettes.

A CGI of a plan for a five storey apartment building to replace 10 Eaton Place to the rear of The Butler pub near Reading town centre. Credit: Anomaly

The four three-bed maisonettes would be made available through affordable rent, meaning 27 per cent of the development is designated affordable, under the 30 per cent in Reading Borough Council’s planning policy.

Mr Burns called it a ‘marginal underprovision’ and ultimately welcomed the size of the affordable homes as three-beds and their availability through cheaper rent.

The plan for 10 Eaton Place is set to be decided at the council’s planning applications committee meeting on Wednesday, October 4.

READ MORE: Reading plan for 46 homes with rocky history due to be decided

Mr Burns has recommended that the plan be approved subject to a legal agreement being made between the developers and the council.

He concluded: “In terms of health and wellbeing, as described, the development is considered to create a good quality level of residential accommodation that would not prejudice or prevent future occupiers from enjoying a good quality of life.”

You can view the application by typing reference 201104 into the council’s planning portal.

The building, 10 Eaton Place, used to serve as the Reading Community Learning Centre before it moved its offices to London Street.

The Butler Pub is Grade II listed owing to being built in the 1830s and its character frontage.