Changes are coming to fast-food drive-thrus, auto and bike shops and more in Reading's busy retail park.
Reading Retail Park, at the end of Oxford Road, is set for change as a KFC drive-through and former Lens Kitchens store are scheduled to be renovated.
Reading Borough Council's planning department has approved changes to KFC, including the provision of an additional drive-through ordering lane and new branding.
This includes painting a new black Colonel sign and chicken artwork on the side of the building.
The additional order lanes will allow KFC to process more orders.
Meanwhile, the company that owns retail park Threadneedle UK Properties has applied to change the vacant Wren unit to allow Halfords to downsize.
The planned changes will see Unit G of the retail park, the former Wren Kitchens store, renovated to provide refurbished shopping space and a new storefront.
The project will result in the loss of two parking spaces to improve pedestrian access.
Halford's move would pave the way for the grocery store to move into the new expanded space.
The relocation and occupancy of the grocery store hinges on plans to combine the existing Halfords division with the closed Carpetrite division.
Adam Cornish of Quod, Threadneedle's planning agent, explained:
“This forms part of the story behind the amalgamation planning submission which, if granted, would allow Units B and C of Reading Retail Park to be combined and used as a grocery store. will be done.
“As a result, Halfords is now able to move into the vacant former Len Kitchens unit.”
Wren Kitchens has been vacant since 2018, with the company focusing on its store in Reading Gateway.
The Oxford Road retail park has undergone several changes over the years.
The building that houses KFC was previously a Pizza Hut, but by 2012 it had been converted into a KFC.
Meanwhile, Carpetrite, which occupied the plot next to Halfords, is thought to have closed in September last year.
You can view Halford's relocation planning application by entering reference number 231812 into the council's planning portal.
You can also use reference 220073 to view the approved plans for KFC signage and reference 220072 to view the drive-thru changes.