Reading Borough Council criticised over handling of historic building sale
The sale of the former Central Club was agreed in 2018 but still hasn't been developed
The council has been taken to task over its decision to sell Reading Central Club, with a call for the sale to be reversed and the club sold to the African Caribbean Community instead.
At a recent council meeting, the Labour administration was criticised for the sale of the central club to a developer back in 2018.
Although the purchasers Redline were expected to submit a planning application, they have so far failed to do so.
This lead councillor Rob White, the leader of the Green group, to call for the council to terminate the contract and grant it to an African Caribbean community organisation instead.
Cllr White (Green, Park) said:
“Disappointingly, the Labour run council decided to sell the Central Club building and Black History Mural to a private developer.
“The developer failed to submit a planning application, and the contract was then extended for 18 months,
“Will the council reopen talks with the African Caribbean Community about a comnmunity bid for this building?”
Replying, councillor Jason Brock, the leader of the council, said:
“The council remains contracted to sell the former Central Club building on a long leasehold basis to the purchaser.
“In this situation, the council cannot hold dispersal talks with another potential purchaser.”
He then explained that Redline is obligated to submit a planning application, and terms of the contract include the provision of community space, residentail units, and crucially, the preservation of the Black History Mural.
Redline has undertaken a pre application consultation, and is due to submit a full application this summer.
However, there was anger and dissapointment when the council failed to give the contract for the rejuvenation of the Central Club to a bid from members of Reading’s African Caribbean Community.
During a bidding process for purchase of the club, members of the community formed the Aspire Community Interest Company (CIC).
Cllr White called for the council to ditch its contract with Redline.
He asked: “The council is now able to terminate the contract, I think, and start talking to the community.
“How long will the Labour council leave this building empty before it terminates the current contract?”
Cllr Brock (Labour, Southcote) replied: “Planning applications especially for complex sites where we are seeking to preserve the mural, and that is a vert important element of this, so we’re expecting a planning application in the summer and I’m sure we can update colleagues thereafter.”
He added that the council is continuing to engage with the mural artist Allan Howard and Historic England for the preservation of the mural.
Redline submitted a revised bid for the club in September 2020, which proved controversial as it was no longer being the highest value bid compared to other bids from the 2018 tender process.
In January last year, a council spokesman said that the council had the option of re-running the bidding process, but there was no guarantee that that the council could get a better deal for the club – therefore the option of re-running the process was rejected.