Bike shop could become store

with a convenience store, writes James Aldridge, local democracy reporter. The Smith’s motorcycle and cycle dealers at 142 Whitley Wood Lane closed in October 2018 and has since been boarded up. The neighbouring building used to serve as the Berkshire Home Brew store but that unit is also empty.

Pajan Singh Kaneja is hoping to open Whitley Superstore on the sites and Reading Borough Council has received an application for a licence to sell alcohol from 7am to midnight each day.

In January last year, the council’s head of planning rejected a plan to replace 142144 Whitley Wood Lane with new retail and office facilities and 12 flats.

The head of planning judged the replacement would “result in an overly bulky, incongruous and visually dominant structure” when refusing it (reference 211932).

It is understood a planning application is not needed to convert the old Smith’s unit into a convenience store. Comments on the application can be made by Wednesday, May 31, by emailing: licensing@reading. gov.uk