Land at a former community centre will become an affordable four-bed house – 13 years after it was left vacant.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) will build a three-storey house at the junction of Camelford Close and Merton Road North, in Whitley, after it approved it’s own plans last week.

Councillor Emmett McKenna, chair of the Planning Applications committee and Whitley ward councillor, praised the development.

He said: “Thank you for bringing a site into viable use which will help some of the families in Whitley get off our housing list. Keep them rolling forward.”

READ MORE: Hexham Road Estate residents demand Reading Borough Council parking permit proposal is scrapped

The site has hosted play facilities, welfare services and been a community hall in the past.

Community use of the site ended in 1998 and the buildings were demolished in 2006 – the site has been vacant ever since.

The community services carried out at the site now take place at South Reading Community Centre.