Twist as 42 flats plan for Bracknell building is dismissed

The L’avenir building in Bracknell once served as an office but has undergone a conversion into dozens of apartments in recent years.

The building’s owner attempted to add two floors above the current building which would provide space for 42 flats, bringing the total to 111.

However, an appeal to get the upwards extension approved has been dismissed.

The dismissal comes after the plan was rejected by Bracknell Forest Council after a deluge of complaints from neighbours, including from current occupants.

Cameron Gray, who lives in L’avenir, said: “This proposal will have a significant effect on my ability to continue working from home and thus my quality of life.

“The proposal is impractical on a number of levels and should never have been brought forward once flats started being occupied.”

Also,  Zoe Birt said: “As a resident of this building it is completely inhumane to build two more floors on top of the building with current residents in, this should have been done before the flats were sold and rented out.

“There are people with children who live in the building who cannot be expected to live on a building site!

“The maintenance of the building already isn’t kept up to scratch, fire engines have had to be called out time after time for people getting stuck in the lifts that the developers do not want to spend money on to fix.

“Expecting people not to access their vehicles on certain days, keeping people awake who work night shifts and need their sleep during the day, disrupting people who work from home.”

Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee rejected the floors addition in July 2022, with the refusal stating that the design was out of keeping with host building. 

The proposed new elevations at the Lavenir building in Opladen Way. Developers want to add two floors containing 42 apartments Credit: JDW Architects

An informative with the refusal stated that, while Bracknell Forest Council’s planning department had acted positively and proactively, the issues with the upwards extension are so fundamental that it was unable to approve the application.

Although the owner appealed against the decision, the appeal was denied because not all of the supporting documentation was submitted on time.

Chris Turrell (Conservative, Harmans Water), ward councillor and executive member for planning, said: “It is very welcome news for residents that there can be no appeal in this instance, but somewhat bizarre that the appellant, the instigator of it, then apparently finds themselves unable to submit the required documentation.”

You can view the refused application by typing reference 21/00361/PARC into the council’s planning portal.

Initially, the plan was to add 35 apartments when the application emerged in 2021. However, this was increased to 42 after a design revision by the applicant.