Historic Office Building Set for Student Flats

Plans could turn a grand 1800s office on Kings Road in Reading into 29 student flats. The former mansion, passed by thousands of people each day, has been vacant for years.

Other recent applications include two car washes and signage for a haulage company near the new Tesla facility.

You can view each application by typing the reference in brackets into Reading Borough Council's planning portal.

Conversion of offices into 29 student flats (PL/26/1430 and PL/26/1431)

The owner of Astec House has applied to convert the Grade II listed Bath stone building into 29 student flats. Built as a 19th-century mansion, it forms part of the Eldon Square Conservation Area and has lawful use as offices but has stood empty, with its door boarded up since 2018. Future occupants would use 11 permit car parking spaces and 18 secure cycle parking spaces.

Plan for continued use of site as car wash (PL/26/1084)

A retrospective application seeks to keep Splash & Shine Hand Car Wash operating off Oxford Road. The plot was vacant for years after the Portakabin business left and the cabin was removed between 2021 and 2023. A planning agent from the Keen Partnership said: "The proposal has also secured the regeneration of a vacant site through private investment, improving its appearance and bringing it back into active commercial use."

Proposed car wash at MOT centre (PL/26/1448)

A woman has applied to add a car wash at the WAS Reading Service & MOT Centre in School Road, Tilehurst. The plan shows an enclosed car wash building to the west of the existing workshop, plus reconfiguration and extension of the workshop, replacement of an asbestos cement roof, new entrance gates and associated parking, drainage and external works.

Haulage company occupying logistics unit (PL/26/0924)

Maersk is occupying a unit at the International Logistics Park in Whitley and has applied to add its logo to one of the new units. Planning officer Huimin Chen judged the advertising and the installation of a totem sign acceptable. Maersk will be a neighbour of Tesla at the Logistics Park.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter