A “fabulous” Edwardian house has been saved once again, with councillors rejecting plans to transform the cherished villa for a third time.

Plans to convert the “fine” and “attractive” villa on Brunswick Hill, near Reading West Station, into eight flats, was dismissed at last night’s (Wednesday, June 3) Reading Borough Council (RBC) Planning Applications committee.

The rejected plan would have added two-storey side extensions and three-storey rear extensions to the Edwardian villa.

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Councillor Tony Page, lead member for planning, said: “Two appeals have confirmed the value of this building.

“The inspector said the existing building is a heritage asset. That should focus our intention on the importance of this building.”

Councillors praised the beauty of the building and suggested a simple conversion may have been been accepted.

Cllr Page said the villa is “perfectly large enough" to convert into flats in its current form.

The rejection of the latest proposal at 39 Brunswick Hill follows two demolition plans, which were rejected both by the council and on appeal to planning inspectors.

Councillor Karen Rowland, lead member for Heritage, said decisions from planning inspectors have told the council “this is a fabulous building”.

She said views onto the house are “stunning” and the street could become a conservation area or street of special character in the future.

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Hopes of adding the villa to the council’s local list have apparently been shelved as there is not enough information on the property.

The agent for the developer, Neil Davis, said the applicant had completely revised the proposal, “improving the design and reducing the scale” of the building to ensure that the proposal is in keeping with the street scene and the character of the area.

But this did not go far enough for councillors.

Councillor Jane Stanford-Beale welcomed the fact the owner was no longer looking to demolish the property but said having eight households next door would have a “significant impact” on neighbours.

A dozen neighbours had opposed the plans, saying “the characterful building would be destroyed” and describing the latest attempt as “not sufficiently different from those rejected previously”.

The proposal was also criticised by two local conservation groups, which raised concerns over the scale and bulk of the extensions, among other issues.