Reading Greek restaurant could grow for more guests

The owners of the Spitiko restaurant in Caversham have applied for a substantial rear extension to the building they occupy in Prospect Street.

Elsewhere, shopping space in Coley could be converted into a takeaway, and a former education centre could be converted into serviced apartments.

You can view the applications featured by typing the references in brackets into the council’s planning portal.

Greek restaurant expansion (231730)

Existing and proposed elevations for the expansion of the Spitiko restaurant in Prospect Street, Caversham. Credit: Paul Hamilton

The owner of the Spitiko in Prospect Street, Caversham has applied to expand the Greek restaurant to increase seating capacity for diners.

The plan involves building a rear extension and making substantial internal alterations.

These changes would create space to allow for seating space and improved toilets on the first floor and a larger kitchen on the ground floor.

The restaurant has been Spitiko, which is Greek for homemade, since 2020. It was previously called Kyrenia.

Conversion of shop into takeaway (221769)

39 Berkeley Avenue, Reading. Credit: Google Maps

The owner of shopping space in Coley has applied to convert it into a takeaway.

The shop building is currently situated next to the Costcutter in Berkeley Avenue in a terrace of three properties.

The floorplan for the application to turn a ground floor shop into a takeaway at 39 Berkeley Avenue, Reading. Credit: 1 Right Plan

The plan involves converting the shopping space into a takeaway with a kitchen, serving counter and seating area, along with the necessary extraction equipment.

It’s understood a patio and upstairs flats would be unchanged.

Conversion of education centre into serviced apartments (231279)

80 London Street, Reading. Credit: Google Maps

The owner of 80 London Street near the town centre has applied to convert it from an education centre into serviced accommodation.

The building was previously used by the Academic Business Innovation (ABI) College, which appears to have vacated the property in recent years.

Now, the owner wants to convert it into seven serviced apartments with a reception on the ground floor.

Each would come with a shower toilet, cooking and living facilities.

Tree preserved in Emmer Green 

A sycamore tree at Emmer Green Kindergarten at 85 Grove Road, Caversham. Credit: Reading Borough Council

A sycamore tree has been preserved in Caversham despite complaints that it is causing a nuisance by the Emmer Green Kindergarten.

The council had received several complaints about the tree from the nursery in Grove Road, with its owners arguing that it severely overhangs the building and bird droppings were causing a nuisance.

The sycamore is protected by a tree preservation order (TPO), but the owners of the kindergarten argued that TPO should be removed to allow more work to be undertaken.

However, that was opposed by Sarah Hanson, the council’s natural environment officer, who argued more pruning would damage the health of the tree.

Ultimately, the council’s planning applications committee unanimously decided to preserve the tree at a meeting on Wednesday, December 6.