Massive 618-Apartment Development Approved in Reading

Designs for a huge new community containing more than 600 apartments in South Reading have been given the go-ahead.

Big news for South Reading! Designs for a massive new community featuring over 600 apartments have been approved.

The project, known as Royal Elm Park, will add 618 apartments, an ice rink, a convention centre, and more, right next to the Reading FC stadium.

This was just one of the recent decisions made by Reading Borough Council.

In addition, an office building will be transformed into 78 flats, while a local clothing and piercing store has run into issues with its shopfront.

You can check out more on each application by entering the reference number on the council's planning portal.

Royal Elm Park approved (PL/25/0837)

The Royal Elm Park project is finally moving forward after its design code was approved on October 28, nearly nine years after plans were first submitted in 2016. It will include 618 homes, a 246-bedroom hotel, up to 102 serviced apartments, a convention centre, an ice rink, and a Garden of Remembrance for Reading FC.

Abbey Wharf to become flats (PL/25/1059)

A prime office building on Kings Road will soon be transformed into 78 flats. The owner, Mountley Ltd, has received approval to convert the building into 27 studio flats, 43 one-bedroom, and eight two-bedroom flats under permitted development rights.

Blue Banana store signage issues (PL/25/1099)

The Blue Banana clothing and piercing store, recently opened on Broad Street in the old Anne Summers location, faces challenges due to its unauthorized shopfront signage. Planning officer Ethne Humphreys has deemed the signage to be an 'obtrusive and unsympathetic addition' to the listed building at 95 Broad Street.

New housing plan in Southcote (PL/25/1124)

A new proposal for housing in Southcote has been submitted. The plan suggests building two semi-detached two-bedroom homes at the back of Parkside Road, accessed via Wingrove Road. This comes after a previous plan for a single five-bedroom house was rejected in August.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter