Major Decision on 600 New Flats Looms

A decision is due on plans to build nearly 600 flats in Reading town centre as part of the major Station Hill project.

Station Hill has already replaced an old mall and a multi-storey car park with about 600 flats, new restaurants and a big office building. Phase 1 delivered Ebb&Flow and the Siren Craft bar on Friar Street; Phase 2 created One Station Hill on the Garrard Street car park site.

Phase 3A would add 598 flats across two new apartment blocks: 34 studios, 330 one-beds, 214 two-beds and 22 three-beds.

That requires demolishing Xafinity House, a defunct multi-storey office building.

A decision must be made at Reading Borough Council's planning applications meeting on Wednesday, August 12.

He wrote: "The design of buildings would offer a high quality of architecture which would have a positive effect on the townscape at close quarters and from other viewpoints in the town.

"The proposals would introduce a substantial amount of new, good quality, public realm which acts as a continuation of that already provided in Phases 1 and 2.

"The proposed landscaping arrangement would offer multiple benefits in terms of the quality of the spaces around the buildings, providing an accessible pedestrian route, significant new tree planting, new seating areas and public squares. This is a significant benefit of the proposal."

Mr Vigar noted outline plans were approved in July 2021 and praised changes that scrapped a single L-shaped block in favour of separate buildings, creating more public space and better pedestrian routes.

The scheme would include 75 affordable rental flats - 12.5% of the total, below the council's 30% policy - split into three three-beds, 27 two-beds and 45 one-beds.

Two commercial units are planned on the ground floor. The project is car-free apart from four disabled spaces and would provide 337 cycle spaces.

Detailed plans were first shown to the public last November. A town-centre resident called Paul said he was concerned about the lack of family-sized units, affordability and that the homes will be Build to Rent only, with no chance to buy.

You can view the application on the council planning portal using reference PL/26/0415/REM.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter