Planning Approval for More Affordable Council Homes and Respite Care Facility

PLANNING approval has been given for Reading Borough Council to build up to 47 more affordable homes as part of the Council’s ongoing drive to tackle the housing crisis.

At a planning committee meeting last night (Wednesday 6 December) 17 new affordable Council homes were approved in Amethyst Lane, west Reading, as well as a new Council respite care facility for residents with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Another 30 family homes, all of which are desperately needed in the borough, were approved for Dwyer Road, Southcote.

These developments form part of the Council’s investments of over £110m to provide 400 affordable homes between 2021 and 2025. The strategy will not only reduce the waiting list but also provide the right type of housing to reflect the needs of residents.

Planning permission was approved for both developments following the completion of satisfactory Section 106 legal agreements. There will be ten 3-bed and seven 4-bed homes at Amethyst Lane, whilst the Dwyer Road development will consist of 15 1-bed, eight 3-bed, six 4-bed and one 5-bed homes.

The properties will have low carbon features and come with car and cycle parking provision. Both sites will be landscaped to achieve biodiversity net gains.

Ellie Emberson, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Housing, said:

“We are delivering high quality family housing on Council owned sites which have previously been used for other facilities. The developments in Southcote will provide much needed high quality affordable council housing. It demonstrates our continued strong commitment to make the best use of our land to deliver new housing opportunities for residents in our town.”

Paul Gittings, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Adult Social Care, said:

“Respite care facilities are important for our residents, and this is an example of our commitment to provide the right care, in the right place at the right time with investment into Adult Social Care services.”

The Council has approved plans to create a further 62 new homes on the former Central Pool site in Battle Street, which will cater for those on the housing register as well as sheltered housing and homes for vulnerable adults, and the Arthur Hill Pool development will see key workers from Reading move into 15 new flats on Kings Road.

More information about the planning application can be found here on Amethyst Road  and Dwyer Road.