Vastern Court, Caversham Road, Reading, RG1 8AL

Planning appeal 3289748 at Vastern Court, Caversham Road, Reading, RG1 8AL (Reading Borough Council) was allowed on 20 April 2023 by Inspector Heywood S, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Development Parameters vs Illustrative Scheme.

Outline planning permission (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale reserved) for a demolition phase and phased redevelopment comprising a flexible mix of Residential (C3 including PRS), Offices (B1(a)), retail/leisure/community uses (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, D1, D2), car parking, plant and renewable energy equipment, servicing areas and associated works

Authority: Reading Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Heywood S
Postcode: RG1 8AL

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Development Parameters vs Illustrative Scheme
Design/Character and Appearance
Heritage Assets and Townscape View from south
North-South Link
Daylight and Sunlight
Climate Change/Sustainability

What decided it

The Secretary of State's heritage balance under NPPF paragraph 208 concluded that the public benefits of the scheme (particularly housing delivery, brownfield reuse, economic benefits and the north-south link) outweighed the identified less than substantial harm to designated heritage assets.

The substantial and significant benefits of brownfield reuse, housing delivery, economic benefits and the north-south link outweighed the moderate harms (landscaping, daylight/sunlight, sustainability) and the great weight attached to less than substantial heritage harm.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy CC1Policy CC2Policy CC3Policy CC4Policy CC5Policy CC6Policy CC7Policy CC8Policy CC9Policy EN1Policy EN3Policy EN4Policy EN5Policy EN6Policy EN7Policy EN9Policy EN10Policy EN12Policy EN12(a)Policy EN14Policy EN15Policy EN16Policy EN18Policy EM1Policy EM2Policy H1Policy H2Policy H3Policy H4Policy H5Policy H10Policy TR1Policy TR3Policy TR4Policy TR5Policy RL1Policy RL2Policy CR1Policy CR2Policy CR2(b)Policy CR3Policy CR6Policy CR7Policy CR10Policy CR10(a)Policy CR10(v)Policy CR10(ii)Policy CR11Policy CR11(vi)Policy CR11(viii)Policy CR11ePolicy CR11g
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 11Paragraph 48Paragraph 56Paragraph 57Paragraph 60Paragraph 81Paragraph 120Paragraph 130Paragraph 134Paragraph 199Paragraph 200Paragraph 202Paragraph 203Paragraph 208
Judgments: Barnwell Manor Wind Energy Ltd v East Northants DC, English Heritage, National Trust and SSCLG [2014] EWCA Civ 137

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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