A plan to replace Shillingford House near Reading town centre has been approved after more than a decade of proposals.
Shillingford House, on Oxford Road close to the town centre, currently has four shop units with four flats above. Plans to create more flats date back to 2014; a 2016 scheme was withdrawn after concerns from council officers.
In 2019 the developer applied to demolish the building and erect a six-storey block containing 13 flats: one three‑bed, six two‑bed and six one‑bed apartments. At a meeting of Reading Borough Council's planning applications committee on 4 March the scheme was approved by eight councillors, with three—Councillors Rowland, McCann and Williams—voting against.
Councillor Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey), who lives nearby, said: We are now looking at putting [something], what I might suggest, has a really large, overbearing, excessive size. The Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC) pointed it out very well, that it is overbearing. Along that front of Oxford Road, we’re starting to lose the plot.
Councillor Kathryn McCann (Green, Redlands) agreed: Personally, I think the building has got character and I’ve always quite liked it, and it reminds me of the buildings on London Street, which is also a conservation area, and although it’s 1930s, it fits very well with the design of the much older buildings. I feel it does have character and quite a presence, whereas the design to replace it is quite bland and modern, and doesn’t have much merit to it.
Councillor Josh Williams (Green, Park) argued demolition should be avoided where possible and criticised the lack of an affordable housing offer. Instead, the developer will pay £142,500 towards affordable housing elsewhere.
Supporting the scheme, Councillor John Ennis (Labour, Southcote) said: It would not be viable to retain the current building, let’s be honest, hence that’s why the planners have put forward a new building. It’s not in keeping with the current street, but it is in keeping with buildings very closeby in Chatham Street.
Welcoming the new homes, Councillor Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) said: "You've got 13 new flats there, that does help to address the housing need in Reading, it is on a brownfield site. On affordable housing, you would not get a housing provider to take on one or two units, it wouldn't be viable for them to do that."
Ed Mather from Colony Architects celebrated the decision: "We’re delighted to see this landmark regeneration project finally come forward after more than twelve years of close collaboration with the council. This site has long been a challenging but important opportunity on Oxford Road, and the approved scheme represents a sensitive heritage-led redevelopment that brings new life to a prominent brownfield corner site. Through many iterations and adjustments over the years, the client, design team and the council officers have worked collectively to shape a proposal that respects the historic character of the area while delivering 13 much-needed new homes for Reading."
Owner Sanja Sharma added: "Thanks to my family, friends, colony architects and the council for finally getting the application over the line and to say in the words of a famous film, it’s been emotional!"
You can view the application on Reading Borough Council's planning portal using reference PL/19/0549.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
