A major town centre development could become even larger, after the developer submitted plans to increase the number of flats to 338.

Lochailort was granted permission application for 315 homes on the Thames Quarter site on Napier Road last year.

The developer is now proposing to add an extra storey and 23 homes to the ‘benchmark’ tower, taking it to 13 storeys. The 23-storey ‘landmark’ tower will remain the same.

The site will be Reading’s first ‘build-to-rent’ development, with no homes up for sale.

The application proposes the same number of parking spaces as the 49 already permitted.

Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) planning committee approved Lochailort’s Thames Quarter project at the former Cooper BMW garage in September 2017, with zero affordable housing.

Lochailort was granted permission on the condition that the developer provide a separate 25 to 56-home site with 100 per cent affordable housing.

Land off North Street has been identified and work is progressing on a plan for the land.

RBC approved two competing plans for 47 homes at the former Reading Family Centre, on North Street, in December, one of which would provide 100 per cent affordable housing.

The other proposal would provide 30 per cent affordable housing, or 14 homes, and Lochailort would have to invest in a 100 per cent affordable housing site elsewhere.

Councillor Tony Page said: “Those of us who were involved with the Thames Quarter application were impressed with the imaginative solution that was offered to the issue of affordable housing.

“We very much hope it is the 100 per cent scheme that materialises, reflecting our high priority for new build social rent housing in the borough.

“'[The former Reading Family Centre] is an ideal site for that and will make good use of that area of land.”