Itsu replacing Pizza Hut but 12m signs refused – planning roundup

Also in this week’s planning roundup, a school has been allowed to keep a ‘temporary’ building for classrooms for another five years and the developer of a 96-home site has been given permission to start moving in tenants earlier.

Itsu coming to retail park

READ MORE: Hotel downs tools over lack of approval for courtyard works at listed building

The old Reading Gate Retail Park Pizza Hut

Itsu will replace Pizza Hut at Reading Gate Retail Park in south Reading.

The Japanese sushi, salads and noodles chain will take over the vacant Unit 7, previously home to the American pizza giant.

However, Itsu has been refused permission to erect free-standing 12m banners, with the council saying this would “appear intrusive and visually dominant within the surroundings”.

Officers said: “Whilst the surrounding environment is retail, there are no other similar high free standing banners in the vicinity.

“Policy OU4 states that the cumulative impact of adverts will be taken into account, and a proliferation of advertisements that detrimentally affects visual or aural amenity or public safety will not be acceptable.

“By reason of their height in particular, it is considered that the free standing banners would appear intrusive and visually dominant within the surroundings and as and would stand above any nearby infrastructure such as lamp columns.

“As such, it is considered that by reason of their height, the banners would have a detrimental impact on visual amenity.

“Furthermore, it is considered that the banners, in combination with the signage attached to the building, would result in a proliferation of advertisements at the unit, contrary to Policies OU4 and CC7 of the 2019 Reading Borough Local Plan.”

The council issued a split decision, approving other signs and advertisements while rejecting the 12m banners.

Three offices will become 110 flats

Great Brighams Mead offices

Mobile company Three’s offices by the River Thames will be converted into more than 100 flats after the council approved the plans this week.

READ MORE: Three's Reading offices will be converted into 110 flats

Plans were submitted to Reading Borough Council (RBC) by McKay Securities to turn the three-storey Great Brighams Mead offices into 110 flats.

The 84,000sq ft building faces the Caversham Road – Vastern Road roundabout, with the River Thames behind the site and Reading Station nearby.

It has been occupied by Three for the past 20 years, with the telecommunications company planning to move its offices to a new 117,000sq ft building in Green Park.

RBC officers agreed that the plans meet permitted development rights criteria and approved them on Tuesday, June 1.

School allowed to keep temporary building

Alfred Sutton Primary School

A school has been given planning permission to keep a temporary building with extra classrooms for five more years.

The council has granted Alfred Sutton Primary School on Wokingham Road permission to retain its double-stack modular building, which has four classrooms.

RBC’s Planning Applications committee approved the plan for the council-owned primary school at Wednesday’s (June 2) meeting, which was the first in-person meeting at the Civic Offices since March 2020.

READ MORE: Reading school allowed to keep temporary building for five more years

Change to plans at former Cox & Wyman building

The Planning Applications committee also approved a variation to an approved plans for 96 homes at the former Cox & Wyman building on Cardiff Road.

Councillors agreed to the developer’s request for the new play area at the site to be provided before the 50th residents move in rather than the previous requirement which was for it to be built before a single occupier moves in.