46-home residential scheme at 9 Upper Crown Street, Reading

“The application site is in current use as a data storage facility with roof deck car park above. The existing building is utilitarian in appearance and constructed from a mix of red brick and concrete frame.”

“To the south and east of the site are modest two storey terraced residential dwellings on Upper Crown Street and Newark Street. To the west of the site is the rear of the properties fronting Southampton Street which are a mixture of commercial and residential ranging from single storey to five storeys in scale. To the north of the site is the rear of the large Indigo apartments building which ranges from four to six storeys in scale.”

“PL/21/1614 - Demolition of existing buildings and structures, associated reuse of frame with basement level used for car parking & servicing, erection of 3 no. residential blocks containing 46 no. dwellings above, associated parking (including replacement), access works and landscaping, relocation of substations & associated works to rear of indigo apartments to facilitate pedestrian access. Refused on 20/06/2022 and dismissed at appeal (ref.”

“PL/23/0814 - Demolition of existing buildings and structures, associated re-use of frame with basement level used for car parking and servicing, erection of 3 no. residential blocks containing 46 no. dwellings above, associated parking (including replacement), access works and landscaping, relocation of substations and associated works to rear of Indigo apartments to facilitate pedestrian access. Granted on 29/05/2024 (with linked s106).”

“The extant planning permission and associated legal agreement for the original development secure provision of 30% of the proposed dwellings as on-site affordable housing in an appropriate dwelling and tenure mix. Specifically, this comprises 5 x one- bedroom and 5 x two-bedroom units of Reading Affordable Rent (71% of the affordable units) and 4 x one-bedroom units as First Homes (29% of the affordable units).”

“Unlike the application for the extant planning permission the current application is accompanied by a viability appraisal prepared by the applicant’s viability consultant. Policy H3 allows for viability considerations when considering affordable housing proposals and states that In all cases where proposals fall short of the policy target as a result of viability considerations, an open-book approach will be taken and the onus will be on the developer/landowner to…”

“RBC Housing – Consider that the mix of affordable housing proposed should incorporate 1 x 3 bedroom unit.”

“Public Notification 5.3 A site notice was displayed at the application site on 8 th October 2025. 5.4 1 x objection has been received raising the following matters: - Concern regarding fire risk, electromagnetic fields, vibration and humming from the proposed electrical substation and impacts of this on existing neighbouring properties.”

“Given the above officers set out to the applicant that regardless of the viability position a proposal to reduce the affordable housing provision of the development to 0% would not be acceptable. Following this and further discussion with officers the applicant has put forward a proposal for 5 dwellings within the development to be provided as affordable housing which equates to 10.9% of total number of dwellings proposed.”

“(1) That the Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services be authorised to grant Section 73 variation of condition planning permission for application PL/25/1338 (VAR), subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement by 28 August 2026 (unless a later date be agreed by the Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services) to secure the Heads of Terms set out in the report;”

“(2) That the Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services be authorised to make such minor changes to the conditions, Heads of Terms and details of the legal agreement as may reasonably be required to issue the permission;”