Councillors defer town centre apartment plans

Councillors have deferred a decision about whether hundreds of homes can be added to a shopping centre in central Reading.

The plans for the Oracle include more than 400 apartments, with a Vue cinema and former Debenhams department store replaced with new towers.

Members of Reading Borough Council's planning committee said on Wednesday they wanted more information about the site and voted unanimously for an accompanied visit.

Chair Jan Gavin said they would like "all questions answered" before reaching a decision on the "signature development for the town".

The centre opened in 1999 and was fully taken over by Hammerson last month.

The plans for apartments, revealed three years ago, would introduce a residential element for the first time.

The project was recommended for approval, but councillors raised various questions and concerns.

Labour's Matt Yeo said he felt a site visit "might help me better understand the development and how it sits within the rest of the Oracle".

"There are a number of questions about this particularly on things like how it affects the heritage conservation area nearby, there's questions on the impacting the surrounding area in general," he said.

"I would suggest that at least that we're taken to whatever the highest point of the building is that you can see out from, if that's possible."

After revisions, two storeys were removed from towers to the south of the river, with one storey being added at a block to the north.

Fellow Labour councillor Andrew Hornsby-Smith said the development was "welcome in many ways" but he was "concerned to know some of the details about protecting rental contracts and what happens after 20 years".

He also expressed concern about affordable housing, which was supported by Green councillor Kathryn McCann and Lib Dem James Moore.

"I'm bitterly disappointed we're not seeing more affordable housing - it's only 10%, our policy is 30%," Moore said.

"For this to be such a large event in the central town it should set the standard, and I realise the viability arguments, but what's the point having a policy if we never stick to it?"

The meeting concluded with a provisional date for site visit on 18 December.

"If can do it, then we move this along and we get some decision in January," Gavin said.

"It's a signature development for our town, we want to be absolutely sure that we've got it right."

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