station hill

The front-runners for 2023

Reading-On-Thames, , 5 Comments
New apartment towers at the eastern end of The Oracle

The end of the year is the obvious opportunity to review the past 12 months, and to look at what’s to come during the next lap of sun. After a tumultuous year internationally, and nationally for that matter, let’s keep things local for a few minutes. 2022 saw a number of projects galloping forwards, whilst others seem perpetually stuck in the traps. One project that’s come up on the rails from nowhere is the Oracle’s major scheme, which was submitted for planning permission this week – more on that shortly. But let’s take a more leisurely canter through the runners and riders for 2023.

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The front-runners for 2023

Friar Street – Finding the Way Forward

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Recent months have seen a flurry of new and altered plans for developments along Friar Street, as well as construction continuing on the new Friars Walk. Let’s take a look through the progress, and the context of how this street fits within the evolving story of Reading Town Centre.

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Friar Street – Finding the Way Forward

Cosmo Corner – Future Friar Street

Reading-On-Thames, 5 Comments

New proposals have emerged for a 103-home build-to-rent scheme adjacent to the Station Hill development on Friar Street. The developer, Shaviram Group, held an online consultation and has published materials online where you can provide your feedback. Here’s what I picked up on this latest residential plan for Reading town centre.

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Cosmo Corner – Future Friar Street

A Green Signal for Station Hill

Reading-On-Thames2 Comments

Last week, final approval was given to minor amendments to the Friar’s Walk residential element of the Station Hill proposals. This follows another consent a couple of months ago for an office building next to Thames Tower and a link bridge between the two. I approached the developer’s PR company and managed to get a statement confirming that, finally, construction work is imminent.

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A Green Signal for Station Hill

Station Hill North – Reflections on the Future

Reading-On-Thames, 6 Comments

Gensler_Station_Hill_CAM2_10

In an unpredictable world, one constant we can rely upon is that every few months there will be new images of the potential regeneration of Reading’s Station Hill. The long-running saga has had more twists and turns than the landscaped pathways featured in the latest plans, so I’ll suggest you switch back to my previous posts for more on the history. This weekend’s exhibition coincides with the submission of a planning application for the northern part of the site. Let me take you through the new proposals. Continue reading “Station Hill North – Reflections on the Future” →

Station Hill North – Reflections on the Future

Station Hill 4 Revealed – Let’s get on with it

Reading-On-Thames, , 12 Comments

MainPlazaStationHill

We had Sir John Madejski’s original Station Hill plans, then Station Hill 2, and SH3.  The latest developers are trying to leave the past failures behind by ditching the numeric suffix.  Thankfully they’ve also avoided named alternatives, like Vista or XP.  No, we’re keeping it simple – not Station Hill Goes Forth, or Station Hill – The Goblet of Fire, just plain old Station Hill. And in fact the main evolution from Station Hill – The Prisoner of Azkaban is that they’re saying Expelliarmus to Garrard St car park and installing a podium to remove the ‘Hill’ altogether. Unique, of course, to the novels of the Station Hill series is that nothing actually ever happens: so many plots yet no storeys. But without going over the top, I feel we might have captured the golden egg at last. Welcome to Station Hill – Millennial Edition. Continue reading “Station Hill 4 Revealed – Let’s get on with it” →

Station Hill 4 Revealed – Let’s get on with it

Station Hill, brought to you by the letter E

Reading-On-Thames, , , 7 Comments

IMG 1 Aerial View

The story of Station Hill is well documented. In fact, it would be hard to dispute after 15 years that it’s progressed from “story” comfortably into “saga” territory. I certainly feared the next re-classification might be to “myth”. Yet this week, finally, firm new plans have been published. The proposals relate specifically to the Friar’s Walk plot, where a disused shopping arcade has been boarded up since 2004. Continue reading “Station Hill, brought to you by the letter E” →

Station Hill, brought to you by the letter E

Development Round-up – Autumn ’18

Reading-On-Thames, , 6 Comments

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It’s been a while since I posted, and a number of you have been asking for updates on what’s going on around town.  Whilst pretty much all of this has been reported in various places, hopefully it’s useful or interesting to pull it all together.  And I promise, it’s not all about flats! …Okay, some of it is about flats.

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Development Round-up – Autumn ’18

Reading’s Regeneration – a game of two halves

Reading-On-Thames, , , 23 Comments

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April was a month of contrasting fortunes for Reading’s two major regeneration projects.  Royal Elm Park, a convention centre and hotel complex adjoining Madejski stadium, was enthusiastically approved by the council, to wide acclaim from the business community.  By contrast, Station Hill is being put up for sale, which will likely see the proposals back on the drawing board.  Since 2005, variations of plans have come and gone.  The five hectare site adjacent to Reading Station was supposed to transform the town, but years on it hasn’t lived up to its incredible potential.  Station Hill really is the Jack Wilshere of regeneration schemes. Continue reading “Reading’s Regeneration – a game of two halves” →

Reading’s Regeneration – a game of two halves