Reading Borough Council

The committee heard two major planning applications. The first, for demolition and redevelopment of the former Battle Inn on Bedford Road, prompted extensive debate about conservation harm, accessibility, waste management, open space and the balance of benefits including affordable housing and a vacant-site improvement; it was approved with additional conditions and ward councillor consultation on materials and refuse matters. The second, for additional serviced apartments at St Mary Butts, was a relatively straightforward renewal of an earlier approval and was also approved, with waste management highlighted as the key operational concern. The committee also noted planning appeals, site visits, and a special August meeting for Station Hill.

The meeting covered several procurement-relevant issues: a proposed update to contract procedure rules under the Procurement Act 2023, road safety responses that imply future works on Bath Road and Kings Road, continued annual weed-control procurement with reduced glyphosate use, the unresolved use of £25,000 pitch improvement funding at Alfred Sutton, and the council’s decision not to pursue High Street Rental Auctions at present due to capacity constraints. The council also confirmed ongoing enforcement action on vacant Christchurch Road premises and a new active travel scheme expected later in 2026.

The committee focused on three main procurement and policy areas: urgent concerns about Thames Water sewage discharges and future capacity constraints; approval of main modifications to the partial local plan update, including housing supply, affordable housing and sewage infrastructure policy; and adoption of the Town Centre Public Realm Strategy, which will guide future place-making, street works and developer contributions. A community-led conservation area appraisal for the Mount was also approved for consultation, with a management plan highlighting smaller-scale public realm and heritage improvement opportunities.

The committee spent much of the meeting on the proposed withdrawal of the Pink 22 bus service, with repeated public concern about access for older people, disabled residents, families and students in Caversham Heights, and councillors discussing legal advice, DfT guidance and limited revenue support. Members also approved or supported several procurement and spending items, including a new environmental enforcement partnership, off-street parking charge changes, and revised budget approvals for the council’s new-build housing programme. The meeting also covered a major SEND reform plan tied to government funding, support for low-income households, and a town centre vision consultation.

The meeting covered procurement-relevant items around bus stop infrastructure, the governance of weighting restrictions (policy/process affecting future procurements), and a public rights of way project. Key themes include potential bus shelter installation funded via developer contributions, the need to manage tender/policy changes with strict advertising rules, and a planned statutory consultation for a pedestrian path modification with developer-backed funding. Officers stressed timetables are not firm, and decisions hinge on technical feasibility and funding.

Key procurement-related discussions focused on the Hemdine House School redevelopment in Caversham. Officers concluded the scheme would cause significant harms to character, heritage assets, ecology, and local education/community facilities, failing to meet OU1 and national planning policy. The committee unanimously refused the application, shaping future procurement/development approaches. The nursery on site highlighted the importance of retaining community facilities under OU1, while affordability contributions and biodiversity gains were debated but not sufficient to offset harms.