A historic aircraft base in Woodley is set to be demolished following an application to transform the Headley Road East warehouse into five commercial buildings.

The Miles Aircraft Headquarters dates back to the late 1930s and was designed in Art Deco style by modernist architect Guy Morgan.

The building has a storied history, being used for the construction of aircraft and as a training ground for fighter pilots during World War Two.

It served as a headquarters and factory for the Miles Aircraft company, where over 5,000 planes were built, and was later used as a pen factory that made biros.

Throughout the years, the businesses which resided within the premises have been huge employers for people living across Berkshire and have attracted people to the area.

During World War two, 2,370 women and 5,583 men were employed in the industry in Reading in July 1944'.

The most recent residents of the historic building included Adwest Engineering Company and Thermal Management Solutions, however, it has sat empty for some time before the decision was made for demolition. 

Despite campaigners rallying for its survival, Wokingham borough council has officially approved for the building to be demolished and replaced.

This decision has been met with sadness among residents, as many remember the stories of the brave workers who supported the war effort and worked to build the Spitfires to be used within the war.

One Woodley resident said: "It's a sad day for all local residents who have been involved in the campaign and remember the brave women who supported the war effort through their work in the factory.

"When the site is cleared, a piece of Reading's history will be lost forever and that is so disappointing."

The developers, HE2 Reading 1 GP, submitted the initial application to demolish the Adwest building, the former Miles Aircraft factory, in 2022 and replace it with industrial units.

At the time the application proved unpopular, with a petition calling for the building to be saved from redevelopment amassing 4,849 signatures on Change.org.

The wish was that the building would be listed to prohibit it from being fully demolished.

Although the stance has not changed, Wokingham Borough Council decided to approve the demolition and construction of the five new business units.

Demolition workers have started to move onto the site as they get ready for demolition work to begin.