Carters site to be demolished and replaced with 60 homes

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

AN EMPTY shop on Reading’s Caversham Road will be demolished and turned into housing.

The former home of outdoor specialist store Carters will become 60 homes under the plans from Bellway Homes.

Carters was launched in Thatcham in 1820, then traded from Castle Street before moving to Caversham Road in 1962.

The store closed in December 2019, and last year Reading Borough Council’s planning committee granted permission to demolish the existing building and replace it with 21 one-bedroom flats, 18 twobedroom flats, 11 three-bedroom flats and 10 four-bedroom houses.

These will be built within three apartment buildings and two terraces of houses, with 30 car parking spaces on site and a Car Club space provided off site.

Councillors across the political spectrum praised the proposal for bringing a dormant site into use.

“I’m especially pleased to see a brownfield site come into use, especially now the Carters shop is closed, and I’m really pleased to see it meet 30% affordable

Volunteer Corner

n THE Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has a wide range of services to help keep communities safe, including safety and protection advice to residents and businesses, as well as enforcing fire safety legislation and reducing fire risk in the built environment.

As a Community Fire Safety Volunteer you will: Present road and water safety information to young people in a school setting, share safety information and advice at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service events and attend local community events to help promote safety messages n Reading Blind Aid Society was formed in 1883 and then changed to Reading Association for the Blind in 1926 and has supported the sight impaired people of Reading ever since.

This role would suit those who are confident speakers. The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will provide you with training, out of pocket expenses and a volunteer uniform.

They currently need helpers at their Social Club. They have arts and crafts activities where volunteers help members participate. This would be a perfect

VISION OF THE FUTURE: What the Caversham Road frontage would look like at the Carters site in Reading. Credit: RM_A housing off the bat, haven’t got to moan about that, that’s great,” said Cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst).

Cllr Simon Robinson (Conservative, Emmer Green) said: “I welcome this, I think it’s a good design, a good mix of development, I’m certainly happy with what I’ve seen.”

And Cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) said: “The Carters site is an interesting one, it’s been well used, it’s been very much an established feature but of course run down over a number of years.

“At its heyday, it did also cause complaints from residents of Swansea Road, so we shouldn’t think that the former activities on that site were all a land of milk and honey.

“The transition over the last few years to a fairly rundown site has not been one that’s been welcomed, so this application is a good one.”

Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) praised the developer for providing policy compliant affordable housing, with a focus on two- and four-bedroom homes.

Of the 60 homes, 18 will be affordable: seven one-bedroom flats, four two-bedroom flats, five three-bedroom flats and two four-bedroom houses.

Cllr Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) raised concerns

Half term sustainability

A MUSEUM is helping children and their families learn about environmental issues through fun-filled half term sessions.

Visitors can enjoy workshops, trails, activities and crafts at The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), all based on the theme ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’.

Children aged five and over can be booked on to a free ‘repurposing’ object exploration session or drop into a sunflower amulet-making workshop for £3. The latter will see youngsters manufacture creations from old fabrics and clothing.

The MERL’s Museums, My Way session is for neurodivergent visitors of all ages and will introduce the concept of recycling. Booking is free, but essential.

about future drivers trying to leave the site onto Caversham Road having to turn right to do so.

A planning officer said the highways team have worked with Bellway Homes to ensure the access road allows for twoway access to avoid vehicles queuing to get into the site.

The scheme was unanimously approved by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, February 1.

These events have been inspired by the museum’s Our Green Stories project, which explores environmental issues through its collections.

Families can take part in a wide range of activities at the museum and garden throughout half term, such as negotiating the woodland brass rubbing trails, hopping on the wooden tractor and wagon, and meeting the garden’s chicken.

A winter family activity pack can be purchased from the gift shop for £4.

n For information on timings and prices, visit: merl.reading.ac.uk opportunity for caring volunteers that happen to be creative. n Enrych Berkshire is an organisation that provides people with disabilities extra support to help them to enjoy hobbies, interests and activities of their choosing. n Take a look at our brand new Reading Volunteer Connect platform for details of these and many more opportunities to volunteer via our website, www.rgneeds.me. Want to get in touch? Drop us an email at volunteering@rva.org.uk or call 0118 937 2273.

These Social Clubs are held at Walford Hall and provide a safe, much needed social environment for their members.

They currently want to recruit a friendly volunteer to help a gentleman in their 40s get out and about more.

The Enrych Member has survived a Stroke. Having somebody to go out walking with them would be incredibly helpful as that exercise is an important part of their rehabilitation.