Housing plan for former Dee Road fire station

By JAMES ALDRIDGE

Local democracy reporter

PLANS to build housing on the site of a disused fire station were approved last week.

Following the submissions of plans to demolish the fire service buildings and replace them with 54 homes by Bellway Homes on Tuesday, May 30, the application was approved at the council’s planning committee meeting on Wednesday, May 31.

Dee Road Fire Station was closed two years ago, with the crew relocated to Theale in September 2021. It also served as the headquarters of the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service before it moved to Newsham Court in Calcot in October 2014.

The site was bought by developer Bellway Homes last year which initially applied to build 63 homes on the site.

However, the scheme has been reduced to provide 54 hoes instead.

The development comprises 13 one-bed, seven two-bed and three three-bed flats, and 23 three-bedroom and eight fourbedroom houses.

Of the 54 homes, 30% will be affordable – four one-bed and four two-bed flats and six of the three-bed homes.

The planning committee felt the development would meet the town’s housing needs, particularly regarding affordable housing and the larger three- and four-bedroom homes.

Concern was raised over parking and the impact of the development on neighbours.

Approved plans include 62 car parking spaces, with 31 allocated to the houses and 25 to the 23 flats.

Council officers recommended councillors approved the plan subject to a section 106 legal agreement which would involve a £70,000 contribution to form a controlled pedestrian crossing at neighbouring Spey Road.

Cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: “I think we can probably all agree that leaving a big derelict brownfield site is not want any of us want.

“We obviously want to see sites like this developed into something. I think the need for housing is in great need, especially in West Reading.

THANK YOU: Newtown residents celebrate planting a king donated by Winnersh Garden Centres to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III Picture: Newtown Community Garden

University secures £865,000 to reduce SportsPark’s carbon output

A LOW-CARBON heating system will be installed at the University of Reading’s main sports facility, thanks to a significant grant award.

The university secured £865,000 from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund, which will allow its SportsPark’s 15 to 30-year-old boilers to be replaced with air source heat pumps.

The project is anticipated to save around £83,000 on the building’s energy bills in the first year alone, with further savings in the future once the SportsPark Pavilion is connected to the new system.

Current gas supplies will be stripped out from the building, reducing its carbon emissions by 86 tonnes per year and improving local air quality.

and Net Zero is delivered by Salix Finance and focuses on funding the replacement of end-of-life fossil fuel heating systems with low-carbon alternatives.

Ian Rodger, director of programmes at Salix Finance, said: “We are delighted to be working with the University of Reading as it moves further forward on its decarbonisation journey.

“The University SportsPark currently houses very old gas boilers which will be replaced with the air source heat pumps. This means the University can significantly reduce its carbon emissions and help work towards its ambitious 2030 net zero targets.”

Tree-ly wonderful – community garden receives a free tree

IT may be a month since King Charles was crowned at Westminster Abbey but the royal celebrations continue in Reading, writes James Hastings

To celebrate the historic event, Winnersh and Playhatch Garden Centres have donated coronation trees to the Newtown Community Garden as part of its CelebraTree community campaign.

The campaign which was run by family-run British Garden Centres, saw residents from the local area asked to nominate a worthy group, garden, charity or hospice that has gone above and beyond to receive the tree in honour of the King’s Coronation.

The garden received the royal trees from the two Readingbased garden centres which are to be planted and celebrated by the community as they watch the Coronation CelebraTree grow year after year.

Leslee Baron and Lisa Applin nominated the garden for the competition and were delighted the Newton Community Garden was awarded the trees.

“It’s a wonderful rewilding project and is just in its second year. Elderly people and younger members of our community come along to take part in our monthly events: making bird boxes, making bird feeders with

“I’m especially pleased to see West Reading and the Dee Park estate over time getting progressively improved with more and more developments and interesting things happening.

“I love the affordable housing contribution and the provision of affordable housing and the air source heat pumps. There’s a lot to like about this application.”

The application can be found on Reading Borough Council’s planning website, under reference number 221130.

Dan Fernbank, energy and sustainability director at the University of Reading, said:

“This is an important step in the University’s commitment to becoming Net Zero Carbon by 2030.

“These heat pumps, combined with the large solar panel array that was installed through a previous Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant, puts the SportsPark on course to become one of our lowest carbon buildings on campus.”

The scheme, initiated by the Department for Energy Security sticks and string and making a big garden container display. It a great cause in Reading.”

An external compound is required to house the air source heat pumps. The proposed location of this is next to the SportsPark Pavilion, with a small underground heating network connecting it back to the main building.

The compound will be designed sympathetically to fit with the SportsPark Pavilion.

The university will submit a planning application to Reading Borough Council and engage with both the council and residents on the project.

Subject to planning permission being granted, work to install the new air source heat pump system will begin in late summer or the autumn.

Emily Bartholomew who, along with Jackie Biddle, manages the two garden centres added: “To celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, we wanted to bring the community together through nature. The CelebraTree campaign recognises the hardworking groups and individuals that make our community what it is.

“It symbolises the new monarch’s love of plants and the environment and we hope the community enjoy watching the tree grow for many years to come.”