Progress for Sainsbury's coming to Reading town centre

Sainsbury's has had its plans to clear the way for it to occupy a former bank in the town centre approved. 

Elsewhere, the street name of a development that replaces a former riverside power station has been determined, and progress continues on the replacement of a pub with 38 student apartments in Katesgrove. 

You can view each decided application by typing the reference number in brackets into Reading Borough Council's planning portal. 

Sainsbury's progress on new store (PL/24/0763 and PL/24/0762)

The approved elevations for Sainsburys in Station Road, Reading town centre. (Image: Sainsburys / Alder King Planning Consultants)

The supermarket chain is gearing up to open its new store at the former Royal Bank of Scotland in Station Road. 

This summer, plans were revealed for Sainsbury's to open a new store in the location, which is a busy pedestrian route to and from the main train station. 

These plans were approved on Thursday, August 29. They involve the advertising consent for Sainsbury's trademark orange branding, and the installation of double swing doors, an ATM for cash withdrawals and two anti-ram raid bollards. 

Although a date hasn't been set, once it opens it will be the third Sainsbury's in the town centre, along with the stores in Friar Street and Broad Street. 

Street name and numbers for power station approved (PL/24/1028)

A street in the Old Power Station development on the south bank of the River Thames will be named after former Mayor Bet Tickner. (Image: Berkeley Group / Reading Borough Council)

The street name and numbering for new apartment blocks that replace the old SSE power station site in Vastern Road have been approved.

The developer Berkeley Homes won approval to build 209 apartments contained in nine new blocks earlier this year. 

Initially, it wanted to call the street created by the development either Electric Avenue or Albury Way.

However, councillor Richard Davies (Labour, Thames) suggested it should be called 'Bet Tickner Way' in honour of the former mayor and councillor, who died this January. 

The council's planning department approved naming and numbering on August 29. 

Details for replacement of student flats with pub approved (PL/23/1783)

The clear out at the derelict Woodley Arms pub in Waldeck Street, Katesgrove when it once stood. Credit: Tevye Markson, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Essential details for the management and efficiency measures at new student flats in Katesgrove have been approved. 

Two buildings are being constructed to replace the Woodley Arms in Waldeck Street after a planning clash with the council, which judged the buildings to be too large for the site. 

Ultimately, the project to build the flats was approved by the government's planning inspectorate in 2018. 

The Woodley Arms site in Waldeck Street, Katesgrove as seen in June 2023. (Image: Google Maps)

Details of developer Lainston's student management plan, car and cycle parking and air source heat pumps were all approved by the council on August 27. 

A streetview image from last year shows one of the buildings almost being completed, with three construction vehicles continuing work on the site.