Images show what riverside apartments in Reading will look like once they are completed.
The Berkeley Group has demolished the old SSE power station in Vastern Road and is building 209 flats as part of the Reading Riverworks scheme. Work began in October 2024 and CGIs from Berkeley give a glimpse of the finished development.
The seven apartment blocks sit immediately north of Christchurch Bridge, with balconies at Christchurch Wharf and elsewhere offering uninterrupted views across the River Thames to Christchurch Meadows. Inside, apartments feature spacious open‑plan kitchen and living areas.
A Berkeley spokesperson said: “Floor-to-ceiling windows maximise natural light, while private balconies provide residents with their own outdoor vantage point over the water.
“Each apartment has been thoughtfully designed with modern living in mind, featuring open-plan layouts and energy-efficient design throughout.
“Finished to Berkeley’s exacting standards, the high specification, contemporary homes feature custom-designed, two-tone kitchens, with modern handleless doors, accentuated by a matt black sink and single lever mixer tap, along with a full range of appliances.
“Bedrooms feature ‘soft to the touch’ carpeting, and modern bathrooms are highlighted by black-framed shower screens.”
Berkeley is encouraging buyers, downsizers and investors to view the next phase, Thames Reach, which has 55 apartments and is described as one of the most sought-after positions in the development. Thames Reach will be launched on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, from 10am to 4pm at the Reading Riverworks Marketing Suite.
More than 60 per cent of the first phase has already been sold.
The project has not been without controversy. Reading Borough Council’s planning committee rejected the first version in April 2021 over disputes about walking and cycling links, but the decision was overturned by the planning inspectorate in March 2022. Inspector Andrea Mageean ruled in favour of housing delivery on the brownfield, town-centre site.
Post-Grenfell fire regulations introduced in 2023 forced a redesign, which councillors approved in March 2024. Later that year a neighbour in Lynmouth Road accused contractors of damaging his £30,000 conservatory; a Berkeley representative offered to meet him to arrange a resolution.
Councillors decided to name a street created by the development Bet Tickner Way in honour of the former councillor and 2006/7 mayor. Berkeley’s suggested names Electric Avenue and Albury Way were rejected.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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