The mall owners Hammerson have plans to transform the eastern buildings of The Oracle to provide 436 apartments.
The project would involve the demolition of the Vue cinema building to be replaced with three towers containing 218 flats, and the partial demolition of the former Debenhams building to create 218 flats on the other side of the River Kennet.
A decision was meant to be made by Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee last night (Wednesday, December 3).
Decision due on plan to add flats to The Oracle shopping centre for the first time
However, councillors had a series of concerns and wanted to conduct a site visit with planning officers to help them reach a verdict.
Councillor Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) introduced a motion to defer the decision.
He said: “I feel a site visit might help me better understand the development and how it sits within the rest of The Oracle.
“There are a number of questions about this, on how it affects the heritage of the area, and how it affects the surrounding area in general.”
Heritage in the area includes The Great Expectations building in London Street, which is Grade II listed, and the Black History Mural at the old central club.
There is also the ‘Reading Corporation Tramways Power Station’ plate, which is incorporated into the Vue cinema building itself.
First phase of The Oracle transformation complete as new burger joint confirmed
Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith (Labour, Church) raised concern about disabled access and the possible installation of bollards where ReadiBus services drop passengers off in Yield Hall Place.
He said: “This is the most important application that I’ve seen on this committee, it will really impact the town centre, and we’ve got to make sure we get it right.”
However, cllr Kathryn McCann (Green, Redlands) did not think a visit would be necessary, and shared her criticisms of the project.
She said: “For me, I don’t think a site visit would make any difference, it’s an area we know very well, and most have passed along there, we know what the site is like, and this is obviously radically different from what is there now.
Neighbours divided over plan to transform The Oracle by adding 436 flats
“Because some retail units have gone, I’m surprised that more isn’t being put back in, there is a lot of ground floor space for things that will service the flats and not for the general public to use or for the people living in the flats to use.
“There are all these extra homes and less to do on the doorstep, is my feeling, more retail space would be welcome, particularly retail that is useful, like groceries and homeware.”
The ground floor of the former Debenhams would be taken up by a leisure unit, a restaurant, co-working space, private amenity space for future occupants and plant and refuse storage.
The ground floor plan for the former Debenhams, called Yield Hall Place 1, at The Oracle in Reading. (Image: CallisonRTKL)
Meanwhile, the ground floor of the buildings opposite would contain a re-provided cinema, a restaurant unit, private amenity space, refuse storage and plant equipment.
The ground floor plan for a re-provided cinema at The Oracle in Reading, along with a restaurant and private amenity space. (Image: CallisonRTKL)
While there is no grocery store in The Oracle, ProCook, TK Maxx, and Oliver Bonas sell homeware products.
Cllr McCann added that the previous designs were ‘simpler and easier on the eye’ than the revised proposals submitted in April last year.
Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley), lead councillor for planning, said a site visit would be helpful, and additionally raised concerns about the disruption the construction phase will cause.
He said: “Construction equals disruption, this isn’t like the Broad Street Mall and the Minster Quarter, where these are areas that need lifting, and there is a certain amount of hit that we take to get that.”
His argument was that The Oracle was already vibrant, and construction could make activities difficult for shoppers.
Cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) lamented that just 10 per cent of the 436 apartments would be designated affordable, amounting to 44 flats.
Ultimately, councillors decided to defer for a site visit, possibly scheduled for December 18, with the hope of deciding either in January or February.
Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham), chair of the committee, said: “This is such an important development, it’s a signature development for our town, we want to make absolutely sure that we’ve got it right before we make a decision. ”
The deferall was agreed at the planning applications committee meeting yesterday.
