Concerns Mount Over Homeless Container Site Security

Concerns have been raised about anti-social behaviour and security at a shipping container site used to house homeless people in Reading.

The containers have housed people since November 2021. The converted flats (40 sleeping units) offer a single bed, a shower, a toilet and heating as temporary accommodation ahead of more stable rehousing. The site is on Abbatoirs Road and Caversham Road, near the Medusa Lodge gentlemen's club and a railway bridge. Residents are supported by Reading Borough Council and the charities Launchpad and St Mungos.

The containers were installed through temporary planning permission in September 2021, which expires this month. The council's housing department sought an 18-month extension and the application was discussed at the planning applications committee on September 9. Alison Amoah said two objections were submitted before the consultation closed on September 8 but arrived too late to be included in an updated report.

"The objections relate to a number of residential amenity matters including trespass, unauthorised entry, security problems, threatening behaviour, rubbish and other anti-social matters."

There have been problems before: early in 2023 a resident, Darren Norgate, reported issues with water, heating and drainage.

Mrs Amoah said the planning team had been unable to properly assess the issues raised by objectors and recommended deferring a decision until the next meeting, acknowledging the site's use is at risk of being unauthorised.

Councillor James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) asked: "If the permission expires before the next planning committee, how does that work, if we don't do it now?"

"I'm a bit confused about what the implications of that are."

Dave Anthony, the council's planning solicitor, said: "When the permission expires, the planning permission is no longer there, that would mean that there would be a breach in planning control, however, planning enforcement action is only taken where the council believes it to be expedient, and usually, the attempt is made to resolve it peacefully, if you like, before taking enforcement action."

"One way that the enforcement team would look to see whether that is happening is whether an application has been put forward, so in usual situations it wouldn't be expedient to take enforcement action if there is an active application being considered."

"But there would be a technical breach."

Cllr Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) added: "Certainly, that's been my experience. If there is an active planning application, then enforcement won't get involved until that application is resolved, I think that's our policy."

Mr Anthony said a Judicial Review could technically be brought against the council for usage of the site outside of planning permission. Cllr Gavin noted the containers would only be used in an unauthorised manner for a matter of weeks, as the committee is set to meet again on October 7.

Councillors unanimously deferred a decision until the next meeting.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter