An application for a 9-flat development in west Reading was approved this month despite concerns that the developer will sit on the land.

Members of the planning applications committee granted developer Messrs W & C Litten permission despite their failure to develop the 57 Baker Street in almost four years, leading to the approval elapsing.

Councillor Tony Page, lead member for Planning at Reading Borough Council (RBC), said: “I am extremely disappointed that nearly four years after giving planning permission for this development, absolutely nothing has happened.

“I really must question what the owners of this property are up to because the need for housing and the value of that site is self-evident in Reading.”

“It is an eyesore; it is of no benefit to the locality. They should be ashamed with themselves for neglecting this important site in the Russell Street/Castle Hill conservation area."

Cllr Page reluctantly supported the application, however.

Councillor Jason Brock said: “It is tremendously frustrating when we grant planning permission and sites don’t get built.

“I am really pleased to see that there are two and three bed affordable housing dwellings, exactly the kind of housing that is in most demand and that we lack of the most in our affordable and social housing mix locally.”

In east Reading, the committee approved a 14-flat development with four affordable units despite a neighbouring developer’s concerns over sunlight.

A neighbouring developer threatened judicial review, stating that an appropriate sunlight assessment had not been carried out.

RBC’s planning solicitor said a claim would be unlikely to be successful given the work done by officers.

However, councillor Jason Brock said the neighbouring development was the bad neighbour, attempting to take sunlight from land it didn’t own with its own application.

He added: "It is space that should be used for residential use. I am really pleased that there is decent on-site affordable housing."

The applications were approved at the planning applications committee on Wednesday, November 7.

Other applications approved include using Whitley-based office building Imperium, which has 50% vacancy rates, for conference facilities and training rooms, and allowing Eventist to host an additional 45 days of Christmas party events at Kings Meadow.