Berkshire hotel to be demolished to make way for 32 flats

The Comfort Inn was a hotel and venue along the A4 Bath Road just outside Aldermaston Wharf in the Berkshire countryside.

But in recent years it was converted into the FlexiStay Reading West serviced apartments, which provided private rooms for guests as well as a hireable conference and events room.

Now the building is set for demolition as the company Reading West Development Ltd has won approval to replace it with 32 flats contained in two buildings.

Of those, 24 will have two-bedrooms and eight will have one-bedroom.

The project will go ahead after a decision by West Berkshire Council's planning department.

The site has a complicated planning history, as a project to replace the hotel with 30 affordable flats was refused in 2011 but granted on appeal to the government's planning inspectorate.

Meanwhile, 'Block 1' of the development is under construction as a plan from 2022 to build these apartments on a vacant part of the site was approved.

The building will be two storeys tall, made up of eight two-bed and two one-bed apartments.

The FlexiStay Reading West Hotel, with part of the site to the east sealed off while a new apartment building is constructed. (Image: Google Maps)

A planning agent from SKM Design explained that the developers are engaging in a phased project on the site, that will ultimately see the FlexiStay hotel demolished.

'Block 2' that replaces the hotel will be three storeys tall, containing 16 two-bed and six one-bed flats.

The project was assessed in a report by a West Berkshire Council planning officer, who judged that the site occupies a 'sustainable location' along the A4 Bath Road in travelling distance to Reading, Thatcham and Newbury.

The development will provide 61 car parking spaces, of which 22 will have electric vehicle charging, five will be reserved for disabled blue badge holders, and three will be combined disabled access and electric vehicle charging bays.

Furthermore, the site is located on the Reading Buses Jet Black route running between Reading and Newbury, served by the Beenham Turn bus stops.

While the project was criticised for not providing affordable housing and not being a zero carbon development in line with the council's policies, ultimately the planning officer judged it would be beneficial.

The planning officer wrote: "While the scheme fails to deliver any affordable housing the delivery of 32 flats in a sustainable location weighs significantly in favour of the scheme."

The officer recommended approval in the report, which was granted Bob Dray, the council's development manager in a decision made on Friday, September 27.

You can view the application by typing reference 23/02825/FULMAJ into West Berkshire Council's planning portal.