A new pizza restaurant is set to open in Reading town centre in a building that was previously used as a benefits office.

A licensing application has appeared for a pizza restaurant at 2 Kings Road, a building that used to serve as a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment centre run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The food business has applied for late-night refreshment sales, covering food, soft and hot drinks between 11pm and 2am each night.

The business requires a premises licence to sell food and non-alcoholic drinks between 11pm and 5am.

A statutory consultation into the licensing application is currently active.

You can comment on the application by emailing licensing@reading.gov.uk. The deadline for responses is Monday, December 23.

The application comes amid substantial changes to the former PIP office, which has been divided into four new commercial units.

The approved conversion and shopfront plans for 2 Kings Road, Reading. Unit 3 has been occupied by Just Momo, with Unit 4 set to be occupied by a pizza restaurant.The approved conversion and shopfront plans for 2 Kings Road, Reading. Unit 3 has been occupied by Just Momo, with Unit 4 set to be occupied by a pizza restaurant. (Image: JE Architecture)

Unit 1 has been taken over by businessman Gullinder Singh, who has opened a convenience store to accompany the Todays Express shop he also runs in Duke Street.

Meanwhile, Unit 3 is occupied by the Just Momo Nepalese takeaway eatery.

The owners of Just Momo applied to sell alcohol from 9am to 11pm each day in October.

Approved plans show the 2 Kings Road building, known as Abbey Corner, being divided into four units, with a floorplan indicating that one of the units could be converted into a gym.

The project to create four commercial units at Abbey Corner was approved on November 15.

The DWP relocated by opening a medical assessment centre at the former Post Office in Market Place.