A plan to convert The Coconut Tree Sri‑Lankan restaurant in Kings Road into six flats has been withdrawn. The chain nearly went into administration last year and the Reading site was rescued by MPS Hospitality, but the February proposal to create three one‑bed and three two‑bed flats was pulled on Monday 5 May. The building had been Zizzi until 2020 and The Coconut Tree opened in August 2021.
You can view each application by typing the reference in brackets into Reading Borough Council's planning portal.
Conversion of cafe into takeaway in Whitley (PL/25/0185)
The unit next to the Co‑op on Whitley Wood Road, formerly Food Avenue, has permission to change from a cafe to a takeaway. The applicant asked to alter opening hours from 7am-3pm to 1pm-9pm and planning officer Anthony Scoles granted the application on 1 May.
Creation of three homes in Southcote (PL/23/0785)
Plans to split an existing five‑bed home into two four‑bed houses and build a detached three‑bed on Circuit Lane were approved on 30 April. Extensions will create the two semi‑detached homes and planning officer Alison Amoah welcomed the extra family‑sized housing.
New learning centre in Tilehurst (PL/26/0284)
Tuition firm Kumon won approval to convert the former Nationwide bank in School Road, Tilehurst, into a study centre. Planning officer Anthony Scoles judged the use appropriate and the decision came on 29 April.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
