Reading’s Soane Point offices could be turned into 144 studio flats under Permitted Development Rights (PDR).
Tene Living has applied, via Turley, to Reading Borough Council to convert the building in Market Place and has proposed that it complies to PDR requirements.
Last July Castleforge Partners applied to carry out a major refurbishment and extension of Soane Point to create 110,771 sq ft of flexible co-working, small office and start up space under its Clockwise brand.
However that application, also put forward by Turley, was withdrawn in January.
In correspondence with the application, Turley director Peter Lawson states: “The development makes progressive use of tired office town centre office space, with its reuse adding to the vitality and viability of Reading town centre.
“The proposed development is targeted at the growing requirement for small self-contained, affordable, conveniently located, residential units, enabling independent living.
“Covid19 has seen the market demand for such units grow exponentially at the expense of similar sized accommodation with shared, rather than independent, facilities, as there is less risk than that associated with ‘communal’ living.
“Accordingly the accommodation is suited to young professionals, students or those with long term health conditions to whom shared accommodation might present a particular risk.”
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