Burlesque themed Christmas party in Reading given go ahead

Event organisers Best Parties Ever hold an annual Christmas party centred around a big top tent in King’s Meadow.

But in order for the event to go ahead, the organisers require consent from Reading Borough Council.

Elsewhere, a plan to build three three-bedroom homes at a secure parking site in Caversham has been refused.

You can see the applications featured by typing the reference in brackets into the council’s planning website.

Moulin Rouge style Christmas event approved (231130)

The decorations for the Best Parties Ever burlesque themed Christmas party at Kings Meadow, Reading. Credit: Best Parties Ever

Events company Best Parties Ever has been holding themed Christmas parties for years.

But each year, it requires planning consent to be able to operate.

At a planning meeting, councillor Richard Davies (Labour, Thames) said: “This is in my ward.

“Every year cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) traditionally makes an eloquent speech about it, he’s clearly a bigger fan of Christmas parties than I am but nevertheless I support it.”

The floorplans for the Burlesque themed Christmas Party held by Best Parties Ever in Kings Meadow, Reading. Credit: iElive

Cllr Doug Creswell (Green, Katesgrove) wondered whether the organisers could report to the council what efforts they take to make the event sustainable. Cllr Jo Lovelock (Labour, Norcot) replied that it would be a bit late for such a report this year.

The event, which runs from December 1-16 was unanimously approved at a planning meeting on Wednesday, November 1.

Extension for boarded up council house approved (230398)

99 Hartland Road, Reading, a boarded up three-bedroom house owned by Reading Borough Council. Credit: Google Maps

An extension to a boarded up council house has been approved.

The house at 99 Hartland Road is a three-bedroom home that has been sealed off since 2019.

The council’s housing team applied to add a single-storey side extension to create an accessible bedroom and bathroom, and also add solar panels to the roof.

Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith (Labour, Church) was ‘delighted’ to support the project, which was granted unanimously by the planning committee on November 1.

It means the house now has four bedrooms, with the extension taking the place of an existing store.

Three home plan refused in Caversham (230844)

The refused plan for three three-bed homes contained within one building for the rear of 114 Queens Road, Caversham. Credit: Cookham Design

The council’s planning department has refused a plan to build three homes on secured land that is used for parking at the back of 114 Queens Road, Caversham.

Gravitas Property Group was hoping to build three three-bed homes contained in one new building on the land.

However, the project was refused as it was judged a ‘cramped overdevelopment’ of the site.

Plan to convert offices into flats in Tilehurst withdrawn (221659)

Offices above the Co-op Funeral Care at 104-108 School Road, Tilehurst could be converted into flats. Credit: Google Maps

The owners of offices above the Co-op Funeralcare at 104-108 School Road have gone back to the drawing board again.

The office owners submitted a plan to convert the first floor of the building into two one-bed and one two-bed flats in October 2022, but withdrew that plan the following month.

Now, their revised plan to convert the first floor into three one-bed flats submitted in December last year has also recently been withdrawn.