An empty office block could be converted into 53 flats under plans submitted to Bracknell Forest Council.

Housing developer Barker Homes wants permission to convert RSA House on the corner of the roundabout on Western Road and Wokingham Road.

It comes despite the fact that planning permission was granted only last year to demolish the building and replace it with a warehouse.

A letter to the council on behalf of Barker Homes says this shouldn’t affect the council’s decision on whether to allow flats to be built there instead.

The letter says: “Such development has not as yet occurred on site and therefore this recent planning permission has no particular relevance to this permitted development application.”

The building was formerly occupied by cyber security firm RSA – but was bought by developer Angle Property in August 2022.

Angle then applied for permission to demolish the building and replace it with a new one that could be used as a warehouse or research and industrial purposes.

Bracknell Forest Council approved these plans in November 2023 – and approved plans to change the height of the proposed building as recently as April this year.

But now the new application suggests it could be turned into flats instead. If Bracknell Forest Council approves this one, whoever owns the building at that time will have permission to go ahead with either set of plans.