®Planning appeal decision
70-78 Wokingham Road, Reading, RG6 1JL
Planning appeal 3351980 at 70-78 Wokingham Road, Reading, RG6 1JL (Reading Borough Council) was dismissed on 28 October 2025 by Inspector Allen M, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.
the demolition of existing building and construction of 6 no 3 bed flats and 6 no 2 bed flats over 3 storeys including parking, landscaping, bin and cycle stores
- Authority
- Reading Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Allen M
- Postcode
- RG6 1JL
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
- The effect of the development on the living conditions of the occupiers of properties along College Road, with particular regard to overlooking
- Whether the future occupiers would experience satisfactory living conditions, with particular regard to daylight, outlook, and privacy
- Whether the development would deliver the appropriate level of Biodiversity Net Gain
- Whether the development would make appropriate contributions in respect of affordable housing, employment and skills, and carbon off-setting
What decided it
The cumulative effect of significant harm to character and appearance, unacceptable overlooking of neighbouring properties, substandard living conditions for future occupiers, and failure to secure necessary contributions outweighed the benefit of housing delivery.
The benefit of delivering new housing at an appropriate location was insufficient to outweigh the harms identified in relation to character and appearance, neighbouring living conditions, future occupier living conditions, biodiversity net gain and planning contributions.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CC7Policy EN14Policy EN15Policy EN7Policy CC8Policy EN12Policy H3Policy H5Policy CC3Policy CC9
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 appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.