Reading Borough Council has approved a temporary NAPpad at The Salvation Army's Willow House to provide night beds for rough sleepers.
The NAPpad Night-time Accommodation Project will add four micro-flats with a bed, heating and a toilet. First installed in York in November 2021, it offers emergency night spaces for vulnerable people.
Planner Ethne Humphreys accepted the clear social benefits but flagged visual impact and the loss of garden space.
Mrs Humphreys wrote: "Given its appearance, similar to that of a storage unit, it would not be suitable for permanent retention.
"The siting of the unit closer to the boundary on existing soft landscaping (garden) results in a loss of soft landscaping."
Despite those concerns, she concluded the social benefits outweighed the identified harms and noted the site is well established and intensively managed with staff present to respond to issues.
Mrs Humphreys wrote: "Whilst the design would result in a degree of harm, it is not considered to result in such an intensive use on the site on a temporary basis to result in material harm to neighbouring properties nor harm to the character and appearance of the area.
"Homelessness and rough sleeping is among the most urgent and complex challenges within Reading Borough.
"Rough sleeping is one of the most visible forms of homelessness, and it affects some of the most vulnerable in society."
Willow House volunteers will support anyone staying in the NAPpad; Willow House is a Salvation Army Lifehouse that provides roughly 38-44 bed spaces.
The NAPpad was granted permission to stay for a maximum of 10 years, after which it must be removed. View application PL/26/0387 on the council planning portal.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
