Today’s consultation write-up relates to a plan for 257 co-living units in a redevelopment of Greyfriars House. More significant than the proposed building itself is the new type of accommodation it would provide: Reading’s first* purpose-built co-living scheme. The planning exhibition gave me the chance to ask a few questions, so here’s what I made of it…
Continue reading “Greyfriars Road: Co-Living makes its debut”
The latest flurry of development news in Reading has focussed on new apartment schemes. It prompts constant debate, so it feels like a good time to make the case, perhaps controversially to some, that this is the right direction of travel for the town.
Continue reading “Should we be anti new flats? Taking apart the argument”
Revised plans have been published on The Oracle’s consultation website. For those who haven’t followed this story, the owners of the Oracle are seeking to bring forward a significant mixed use regeneration of the eastern end of their estate. The vacant Debenhams would be blocked off through the middle, across all three levels. Around half would remain as retail/leisure accessible through the mall, and half would give way to new primarily residential buildings. In a subsequent phase, the cinema building would be replaced with further flats, incorporating a smaller replacement Vue cinema at lower levels. I featured the scheme when it was submitted more than a year ago, so I’ll just cover the changes here.
Continue reading “Oracle Proposals Updated”
Late last week it was revealed that the Vastern Court scheme has been accepted by the government – specifically by Lee Rowley the Minister of State for housing, planning and building safety, on behalf of Michael Gove. The scheme will consist of 600 to 1000 homes, with the uncertainty due to the flexibility for the tallest building to be allocated for either flats or offices. Let’s try to unpack what’s been going on…
Continue reading “4 Year Vastern Court Appeal Finally Concluded”
Plans have been submitted by McLaren Living for a residential-led regeneration of the Broad Street Mall. It’s now over five years since previous owner Moorgarth submitted similar plans, and 7 months since I wrote up the planning exhibition ahead of this new submission. That more recent design has been revised somewhat, but to avoid confusion with multiple comparisons to different plans, let’s just take a look at these final proposals (also available on their consultation website and display boards upstairs in the mall).
Continue reading “Broad St Mall plans submitted”
This week saw new proposals exhibited for 260 apartments at Norman Place, an empty office building on Vastern Road fronting the Thames. I’ll take you through the latest proposal, which is also published online for feedback directly to the developer.
Continue reading “Norman Place – A watertight plan?”
Since my last round-up article, there are two updates of particular note. Of more popular interest, news on the Oracle has emerged, and perhaps of wider consequence, a new update to the council’s longer-term local plan is out for consultation. The link between the two is a prevailing direction of repurposing land from retail and office to residential and leisure.
Continue reading “Reading’s Re-purposeful Replanning”
Plans were exhibited today for 570 apartments alongside Napier Road, replacing three vacant low-rise office buildings. You can view the consultation materials online here. Proposals include four “mansion house” blocks of eleven storeys, with 56 parking bays behind, together with some private courtyard space. This is the latest instalment of the flat-building frenzy sweeping the town, but is it working for Reading?
Continue reading “Napier Court – is railside scheme on the right track?”
A little while has passed since my last post, and in that time there have been many snippets of regeneration news that I could have been updating you on. Here’s a whistle-stop run through, so read on as I cover the potential reuse of three closed town centre pubs; plans for cells at Reading police station, if not yet the gaol; a closer look at the library; and maybe a few blocks of flats just for good measure.
Continue reading “September Round-Up: Arcades, Libraries, Pubs and more”
New plans have emerged for the Broad Street Mall from latest owner AEW and their development partner McLaren Living. Proposals were exhibited earlier today in the mall, and you have a second chance to speak to the team on Wednesday 19th July between 3.30pm and 7.30pm, in the unit opposite Poundland (former New Look). I called in earlier and I can run you through the scheme, which is also presented on the consultation website.
Continue reading “Broad Street Mall Plans Resurface”
Reading-on-Thames 