A DEVELOPMENT at the old Jacksons Corner department store will go ahead without any on-site affordable housing, after a ‘shocking’ error by Reading Borough Council (RBC) officers.

The 33-flat proposal was approved at the planning applications committee last night (October 10), with assurance given over the maintenance of the famous sign.

Failure to link an approved agreement to a revised application allowed developer Kings Road LLP (previously called Capita Hall) to renegotiate with the upper hand.

Councillor John Ennis, lead member for housing, said: “That is shocking. We have got to be tougher on getting more affordable housing.

“Officers forgetting to tick the box…We cannot do that. Affordable housing is key in this town.”

The developer and RBC initially secured a s106 agreement for seven on-site affordable housing units at the Kings Road site.

A further application with a variation was approved but issued without linking it to the original section 106 legal agreement.

Planning manager Kiaran Roughan apologised for the error, saying it went right through the process and up to committee without anyone realising.

He added: “We will make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The applicant will now simply provide £550,000 in off-site affordable housing contribution and could have chosen to offer no contribution.

Councillor Jason Brock, lead member for corporate and consumer services, said: “This is an extremely disappointing situation that we find ourselves in.

“Of course I support what is before us because we have no other choice but we know how precious affordable housing is in this borough, in particular on on-site contributions.”

He added: “I’m not asking for personal culpability or making an example. I just want a reassurance that proper controls will be put in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Planning Officer Richard Eatough said: “We need to look at IT to make sure when we issue a decision like that, a line automatically comes in to the officer saying ‘have you checked there is no S106 to vary’. If that goes in then we avoid the human error.”

The developer and RBC had initially secured a s106 agreement for seven on-site affordable housing units at the Kings Road site, as well as a deferred affordable housing contribution of up to £471,000 on any savings in development costs.

However, a further application with a variation to the conditions of the original planning consent was approved but issued without linking it to the original section 106 legal agreement.

This means developer Kings Road LLP could implement the development without any requirement to meet the original section 106 agreement for seven on-site affordable housing units.

The developer decided against this, but with the advantage in negotiations because of the mistake, negotiated a revised agreement with no on-site affordable housing.

Jacksons Corner was the oldest department store in Reading until its closure in December 2013.

The building is a ‘non-designated heritage asset’ and ‘building of townscape merit’, and its unique frontage and sign will be maintained.

The development includes conversion of the upper floors to 18 residential units, construction of new five-storey residential block of 15 units and retention and enlargement of the commercial space.

The applicant was approached for comment.