Plan for flats to replace Bracknell bank and post office

Bracknell Development Ltd has submitted a fresh plan to knock down buildings 6-10 High Street and replace them with a new eight-storey apartment building.

Lloyds Bank currently occupies 8-10 High Street, with there being no apparent news of its closure or relocation elsewhere.

The bank is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.

Meanwhile, 6 High Street is the old Post Office building, which would also be knocked down. The Post Office was relocated into the WHSmith in Princess Square.

Bracknell Development Ltd wants to replace the two buildings with an apartment building containing 39 flats, made up of 21 one bed flats and 18 two bed flats.

READ MORE: Bracknell developments coming in 2023 include more than 400 homes

The plan for the apartments comes after the developers withdrew a previous proposal at the start of March.

The latest application is a substantial reduction from the previous plan, which would have involved building a 10-12 storey building containing 58 apartments.

The new plan is for a part eight, part seven storey building with 39 apartments, equating to a reduction of 19 apartments compared to the withdrawn application.

The apartments would be contained on levels two to eight of the new building, with the ground and first floor being reserved for retail, leisure and commercial space.

Bracknell Development’s planning agents Husband & Partners Architects said: “The proposal creates a high quality mixed use development for the town centre in line with the overall regeneration strategy for the town centre.

“The upgraded commercial use will increase the number of services and choice for town centre users and occupants as well as increase job opportunities.

“Overall, the proposed scheme will add to the vibrancy and vitality of Bracknell town centre and its continuing regeneration strategy.”

The design and access statement for the application repeatedly refers to the bank as ‘the former Lloyds Bank’, despite it being listed as open on the Lloyds website, Google and The Lexicon website.

6-10 High Street, Bracknell. Credit: Google Maps

Lloyds Bank has been contacted for comment.

The previous plan, application reference 22/00169/FUL was withdrawn on Wednesday, March 1.

You can view the new application by typing reference 23/00130/FUL into Bracknell Forest Council’s planning portal.

Consent for demolition of the old post office building, which is attached to the Den of Bracca steakhouse and bar, was established in 2015 when a plan was approved to demolish the building and replace it with a seven storey apartment block.

However, the plan, reference 15/00536/FUL was never acted upon.