Conversion of listed mansion site approved

Caversham Park was formerly home to a number of BBC services

A plan to use an empty Grade II listed mansion, previously used by the BBC, to provide assisted living units has been approved.

Caversham Park, in Reading, Berkshire, was used by BBC Monitoring and BBC Radio Berkshire until 2018.

Reading Borough Council planning officers supported the proposal to use Caversham Park House for 65 assisted living units and provide other housing across the site.

The authority’s planning committee approved the plan on Wednesday.

As part of the work, a 64-bedroom care home will be built to the west of Caversham Park House.

Another three-storey building will provide 12 retirement homes on the northern part of the site and 29 retirement homes will be built on the eastern part.

On the western side, 27 affordable homes can be built. An existing pavilion will be refurbished.

A Grade II listed site since 1987, Historic England said Caversham Park is of “special interest”.

It objected to Beechcroft Developments’ project because of what it said would be a “high level of harm” to the site and impact on Caversham Park House.

Reading Council officers said though they think the plan will cause “overall harm” to the site's heritage assets, the public benefits will outweigh that.

These include giving the general public access to the site, which has been closed off previously.

Conservative councillor Stephen Goss proposed deferring the application for more details about the potential impact on the site’s heritage but the planning committee voted against that.