This thread may last longer than one just about Slough!

Plenty happening in Reading and Slough. Please post them here :)

SLOUGH - the very name may still make you cringe but this little town is changing. Its now quite a wealthy place with offices springing up all the way along the Bath road between Slough and its posher neighbour Maidenhead.

Anyway latest news is that the exulted 'Heart of Slough' project is go, go, go with work scheduled to start on site in 2007:
http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/slough.htm

£17.52m funding secured for Heart of Slough development
English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, has announced a funding package of £17.52m for Slough Borough Council’s Heart of Slough project.

The ambitious project will include more than 1,300 new homes, 22,564 sq m of high quality office space, a new bus station, a revised road layout and new public recreation space as well as a new library and community facilities.

The funding from English Partnerships will now help the council to conclude the development agreement with partners Development Securities and Berkeley Homes, and clears the way for detailed work to start on buildings, highways design and public consultation.

Cllr Dexter Smith, commissioner for planning and transportation, said, “This is a great milestone in the Heart of Slough regeneration project. I am proud of the focus achieved on the project over the past two years. We have cut down the high rise element and dramatically reduced the amount of office space, increasing the amount of residential provision.

“We have listened to residents views and will be including a brand new state-of-the-art library in the plans.”

“The project has also already brought many benefits to the town over past few years, such as arts funding and a creative industries hub, and it is hoped we can now start making real inroads into the physical regeneration.”

David Warburton, Area Director for English Partnerships added, “We are delighted to confirm our commitment to this project which is key to the revival and future prosperity of Slough. The plans for the project tick all the right boxes for us in terms of helping to create a community where people will want to live and work. The delivery of affordable homes, regenerating the town centre and the re-use of brownfield land are key elements of the project and chime exceptionally well with our remit.”

English Partnerships will be a full partner in the planning and delivery of the project with specific responsibility for certain elements of the plan.

To date, external funding brought in by the Heart of Slough scheme includes:

a Creative Industries Enterprise Hub funded by SEEDA at Thames Valley University. The hub is currently full with 15 businesses in place
£3m European Equal funding for work on creative initiatives with disadvantaged communities. To date more than 4,000 people have been through programmes and eight new businesses have been created
£106,000 from South East Arts for Art at the Centre
Along with English Partnerships, Slough Borough Council will be working with development partners Berkeley Homes and Development Securities to deliver the scheme, which will lead to a total investment of over £200m.

Cllr Geoff Howard, commissioner for resources, said, “The Heart of Slough scheme will really help transform the gateway to Slough’s town centre, and radically improve the town’s image. Good management of our town’s assets is vital and pulling in extra funding to update and improve the town infrastructure and environment is part of our strategy to improve the quality of life in the town.”

http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/page.aspx?pointerID=EEE2943615814B01ADA75C97F4C3DCF9

http://www.era-ltd.com/practical_solutions/HOS%20Multicultural%20and%20Creativity%20Briefing.pdf <<----last page shows Skyscraper.

http://www.era-ltd.com/practical_solutions/flagship.shtml#2

Reading

The main development area in town in the next few years will be around the station. A scheme to build 4 new platforms and a new entrance is awaiting a government funding decision. Just to the south of the station John Madejski's Sackville Developments are in the early stages of planning a huge project potentially involving 5 20+ storey buildings around new civic squares. No planning application yet but they've got the land and hopefully demolition could begin in 2008. www.stationhillreading.co.uk

Chatham Place is a scheme under construction by AMEC. The first phase involves 300+ apartments and a new multi-storey carpark. The second phase is much more interesting and will provide office space, a new square and covering over the inner distribution road linking the site into the existing town(grrr) centre. www.chathamplace.co.uk

Abbey Mill House will be a 15-floor office block and construction begins in December this year. For images see http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=733

There is planning permission for a 22 storey residential tower also near the station but no sign yet of demolition of the existing buildings.

Other interesting developments in and around town:
Malmaison are refurbishing the old Station Hotel converting it back to its original usage. Great brand for the town to have attracted. Accor has recently opened a new 14-floor hotel (divided into two: Novotel and Ibis), but it's not the best looking new building you've ever seen. Out-of-town Green Park is still expanding with construction on new buildings taking place, and at Thames Valley Park Microsoft are building themselves another building on their plush 'campus'. A new wind turbine, among the tallest in the UK, towers over GreenPark, the M4 and the Madejski stadium - which shall itself be extended should Reading FC retain their newly gained premiership status.

READING - Station Hill Reading (new skyline - one of the best in the UK?):
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/sh_sustain_big.jpg

Station Hill Reading (view from the north):
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/sh_design_big.jpg

Public space:
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/sh_pubspace_big.jpg

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/sh_nextsteps_big.jpg

Mixed use ground floor (shops / restaurants etc):
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/sh_mixeduse_big.jpg

READING - Today Station Hill is a collection of tired, outdated and obsolete buildings that confront both residents and visitors to Reading as they arrive by bus or train. Station Hill is the major transport interchange in the town and by far its most significant gateway.

The transformation of this area is vital to securing the future of the town centre. Sackville’s development proposals will replace the current buildings with a development fit for 21st century
demands.

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/shtoday1.jpg

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/shtoday2.jpg

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/shtoday3.jpg

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/shtoday4.jpg

LDN_Europe, I think it's a little early to hail Station Hill as the best new skyline in the UK! These images are really only concept images at this stage. Sackville plan the buildings to be mainly office space and they want to build that element first. I'm not sure that's the right approach. With the out-of-town business parks doing so well and forever expaning, and other speculative office developments such as Abbey Mill House and Chatham Place in the pipeline, I'd have thought it would be worth making this scheme at least 50% residential and getting on with that bit first. There is definitely huge demand for more apartments in the town centre.

There are reasons why this scheme has a good chance of eventually turning out something like these drawings. Firstly, the council is massively pro-development and keep pleading with developers to build higher. The scheme will get good public support and no nimby opposition. It's a large site that is totally in the ownership of Sackville (as far as I know). And the location right by the station could hardly be better (Reading has direct links to 300+ stations and only Birmingham New Street is busier outside London). However the council have set a height guide of 25-storey office or 30-storey residential in the belief simply that anything taller would just look silly.. and they're probably right. So Reading won't be competing with the London/Mancs/Brums of this world.. but there is a good chance that this site will eventually house a well-designed co-ordinated cluster of 5 or 6 tall buildings

READING - I know Reading quite well and agree that the area around the station is a bit crap at the moment but is the ideal place for tall development.

Reading is booming and at the heart of what is often called the British silicon valley (the M4 corridor). The population of reading continues to increase too.

Its also nice to see Slough doing so well.

Wow, its important to remember that this is all proposed not for London, Manc, Brum etc so its great to think that the high rise rennaisance is happening in places like reading and Slough(!). Impressive

READING - is Huge now - it must be one of the largest 'towns' in the country. I think it should be called a city. If it wasn't so close to LDN it may have been upgraded some time ago.

LDN_europe, Reading is definitely one of the largest towns in Britain without city status. This site actually shows it as the largest: http://www.lovemytown.co.uk/CityStatus/CityStatusTable2.htm. However, the official population is a lot less than this site gives due to the ancient boundaries that effectively outline what most people would call the 'inner city' of the town as it is today. Large suburbs (30K+) of Earley and Woodley are technically part of neighbouring authorities. I know many towns have this sort of thing going on but in Reading it is extreme. The low official population probably has a lot to do with the failed city status bids.

Personally I don't think the 'town' status is a major problem. In recent years I hear more and more people refer to the place as a city.. perhaps nudged by a bitter council that changed lots of signs in the aftermath of the a recent failed bid to be upgraded! But it's no longer laughable to consider Reading as a city so I'm sure the official status will come along eventually. In the meantime it doesn't appear to be hampering investment. I actually wonder whether the council is missing a trick with this... could they re-brand as "Reading Town"??!

READING - I know Reading quite well and in my opinion Earley and Woodley are certainly suburbs of Reading! As Reading continues to sprawl outwards it could even be argued (less convincingly) that the likes of Wokingham and Theale are also its suburbs.

reading has it in extreme??? not compared to lincoln :) the city of lincoln has boundaries drawn up in the victorian times and spreads into two neighbouring district councils. 40% of the population of these councils lives in what is lincoln in all but name, where i live in north kesteven the second largest "town" is north hykeham, a suburb of lincoln. actually maybe its the largest now. the situation gets more stupid every year because these two district councils have the fastest growing population in the country and with the govt spending levels years behind real population levels we are being massively short-changed. another great example is the wikipedia article which wont state the true population because it constitutes "original" research. i believe reading also suffers from what i like to call boom-town syndrome. in otherwords it gets short-changed by the govt because the population is growing whilst people think its much smaller than it is. towns like this need to have their borders changed but they wont...

READING - I agree. Reading has been booming away for years. By the time (if ever) borders are adjusted I expect it'll be in decline!!

I know Reading quite well and in my opinion Earley and Woodley are certainly suburbs of Reading! As Reading continues to sprawl outwards it could even be argued (less convincingly) that the likes of Wokingham and Theale are also its suburbs.

I thought Early and Woodley were already part of the border? Is Caversham within the border because I've noticed people from Caversham don't like putting Reading on their address and end it with Caversham, RGXX XXX!?

READING - That's because some of Caversham is posh and seperated from the town/city centre by the river. In my opinion Caversham is 100% Reading!!

That's like people in Langley don't like to admit that they're part of Slough.

Can a mod combine my Wycombe thread with this one?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=386135

That's because some of Caversham is posh and seperated from the town/city centre by the river. In my opinion Caversham is 100% Reading!!

That's like people in Langley don't like to admit that they're part of Slough.

this is true! I live in Caversham but I proudly include a block-capitalled READING on my address. It's outragous that some of the local snobs think that their mail reads better without it!!

[Caversham is included in Reading's boundary but Woodley, Earley, Calcot, Shinfield, Purley and parts of Tilehurst all lie ouside it]

HIGH WYCOMBE - If a mod does this, Can a mod combine my Wycombe thread with this one?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=386135

could they also ad 'High Wycombe' to the title of the thread? many thanks.

Planning application for Station Hill Reading submitted.

Since the concept images they've moved the tallest building to the station end and defined the first phase as comprising two towers, one office one residential

story from property week:
____________________________________________________________


£500m mixed use scheme planned for Reading

Sackville Developments has submitted plans for its £500m Station Hill mixed-use scheme next to Reading Station


16.02.2007

By Deirdre Hipwell

The company, which is owned by Reading Football Club chairman John Madejski, plans a 1.4m sq ft (130,060 sq m) scheme comprising a cluster of tall buildings.

The first £160m phase will comprise a 230,000 sq ft (21,370 sq m) residential tower with 32 storeys and a £150m, 24-storey office tower equating to 270,000 sq ft (25,085 sq m) of office space. The second and third phases will include two office towers of 240,000 sq ft (22,300 sq m) and 170,000 sq ft (15,800 sq m), and two residential towers of 87,000 sq ft (8,080 sq m) and 154,000 sq ft (14,310 sq m).

Shops, cafes, restaurants and an arts centre will also be included in the scheme which was designed by Scott Brownrigg,

It plans to start the speculative development, next year. The first phase will be complete by 2011.

No doubt Madejski will name every part of the new development after himself.:lol:

^so true. When i went to the V&A i was enjoying its splendid new garden until i found out soon enough it was funded by the man himself with his name plastered seemingly everywhere (he could at least got it named after his mother/father....).

I saw in that UK summary thread that the tallest on Station Hill will be 117 metres high, very impressive for town of Reading's size. I don't see anything like that happening in the self-proclaimed capital of the south, Southampton. Reading will obviously be retaining their Premiership status, and possibly be hosting European football next season, has there been any word on the stadium extention and what will the capacity increase to?

the tallest building, a 32-storey residential is still planned to be 117m with the refined scheme I believe. This and an office tower of just over 100m will form the first phase. Two further phases will follow with buildings up to 20 storeys high, but nothing approaching 100m. Madejski insists the new scheme will not bear his name!!

The Madejski stadium will be expanded. It was built in such a way that it can be expanded without demolishing existing stands, and even without reducing capacity during construction. Work starts this summer on the East stand to increase capacity to nearly 30k by summer '08. The recent planning permission also cover extensions to the North and South stand that, if built, would bring capacity to around 37,000. This would effectively 'complete' the stadium and further expansion would be difficult - not to mention unlikely to be necessary for a town of Reading's size.

On the downside, it looks like the huge Station Hill proposals have put off the backers of another scheme the 15-storey Abbey Mill House. This was due to have begun speculative development but it looks like it's being reconsidered. With Madejski behind it though, it looks like the Station Hill project will make it off the drawing board

summary of developments:

http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/images/memberImages/peterson/Reading%20developments%20LARGE.jpg

oooh so thats what they were demolishing for abbey road house. wondered what was happening there. this helps me put everything in its place.

Seems like city centre living is really taking off in Reading, Chatham Place has been under contruction for a while, hopefully it will have a positive effect on the crime-ridden Oxford Road area. Liking the look of that 22-storey block too.

Chatham Street has been going a while now. The car park is supposed to be opened this year (really needs to be before Garrard St car park is knocked down for Station Hill).

The real positive regenerative effects of Chatham Street will be from the next phase. It's all gone fairly quiet on that front and I can't see the office-led finding much favour at the moment. If it does go ahead buildings will be constructed actually on top of the dual-carriageway. By covering over that whole section of road it is hoped to break the concerte barrier that has deprived the Oxford Road area from the regeneration that the town centre has enjoyed.

But really it's all about Station Hill at the moment. I think the other potential office developers have taken one look at that and said, to paraphrase, 'oh dear'. If they can let 24 commercial storeys in a town where the out-of-town parks hoover up the vast majority of new lettings it will be a huge achievement

I went to take a look at Chatham Place (http://www.chathamplace.co.uk) this afternoon, here are some photos (context map (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&z=17&ll=51.456039,-0.978556&spn=0.004305,0.009978&om=1&msid=105767409706846287324.00000111e18dec0f3e90f&msa=0)):

1: view from the south - IDR dual carriageway just to the right and in trench
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8435/img4725ts4.jpg
2: view from Oxford Road bridge over IDR
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/7740/img4727hp8.jpg
3: from below the trees on the left of photo 2
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/8278/img4728vz3.jpg
4: slightly closer in than photo 3
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3866/img4732ts2.jpg
5: view from Eaton Place - car park under construction
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/466/img4735kk4.jpg
6: plan (1)
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/6975/img4729na8.jpg
7: plan (2)
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/373/img4730nq5.jpg
8: plan (3)
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/967/img4731kr3.jpg
9: view of the current Oxford Road bridge - tatty
http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/5315/img4733kp6.jpg

chrishillcoat,
do you know whether they've begun work on the main apartment building? I think those buildings may just be the car park and the smaller affordable homes block.

in other news, Abbey Mill House has finally started with some ground works going on now

Anything happening in terms of developments in Staines? I went to Feltham the other day, god that placed has changed since i last went there!

chrishillcoat,
do you know whether they've begun work on the main apartment building? I think those buildings may just be the car park and the smaller affordable homes block.

in other news, Abbey Mill House has finally started with some ground works going on now

I think you're right - I haven't been along Chatham Street to see progress at the north end, but it doesn't look like anything's been started on the commercial apartments. Does anyone know the timescale for completion of this project?

John Madejski's Sackville have now purchased the Friar's Walk shopping centre in Reading. This failed shopping mall, once home to C&A but now boarded up, forms a key link between the town centre and the Station Hill site that Sackville is proposing to redevelop in a 500m high rise scheme. Sackville plan to knock down the arcade and replace it with a modern mixed-use building forming an entrance to the new development. Planning will begin once Sackville get outline approval for their main Station Hill scheme, expected to be this summer

Just a couple of plans announced for Slough and Staines.

The new retail warehouse strip they are building on top of the Old Co-op stores is under construction. Revised application details have chaged this to a partial development on stilts like the huge TESCO's. The new food stroe will noe be 36,000 sq ft, plus three other retail units. The big news is that the occupier is likely to be Whole Foods of the US. So their second store in the UK after Kensington will be in Slough! Not so odd when you consider how wealthy the surrounding areas are.

Staines seems to be gearing up for the next round of office devlopment, it must have finally rented out all old stock left over from the Dot com boom.

Two proposals for the Town here.

The most advanced is the Majestic House site. With the exception of the Old Garbaldi pub, this will level the North side of the High street between the iron bridge and the Post office. This is a big scheme with 290,000 sq ft of space 500 car park spaces, ground floor retail and 25 appartments around the back.

A new link road will be built aroudn the back of the site to access the small trading estate. This will remove a big source of congestion to the town as the current estate is accessed by a small road right next to the railway bridge, just a the main road narrows. What will replace the hodge podge of Post war and inter war buildings will be seven storey office block. This will be a glass and reconstituted stone building. It's not that exciting, but for Staines it is quite a step up in design quality. It reminded me a bit of the recent trend for irregular placed vertical bands of stone that you see in quite a lot of London office buildings recently. I'd post a picture but I can't seem to get photbucket to find my adobe picture files. Anyway several shops have been closed already and stripping out seems to have begun on some buildings.

Further East along London Road the Old Centrica office building is being boarded up. Currently the it is the site of a monolithic ten storey brown glass 70's tower with a restaurant pod hovering over the grassed over underground parking. It creates quite a dead strip along that stretch of the road.

At the moment an outline application has gone for the whole site to be raised and much more dense scheme to replace it. Three new buildings would occupy the site above a new underground car park. There would be 200,000 of office space and a new 200 room hotel around a new pedestrian piazza, supposedly filled with restaurants.

I'm not sure about this one. While the new piazza would provide a more direct pedestrian route to the Moormede estate, I think this plaza could end up being dead. It is away from the main retail and resturant areas of the town and only has a relatively small entrance from the main road. While there are plenty of office building nearby able to support a lunchtime trade I'm not sure about evening trade. Most of the other restuarants are either near the river or the Multiplex. Unless that underground car park becomes a public car park it is also a long walk where everyone parks in the evening.

The announcement about Reading station's redevelopment is only one part of the upgrades to transport and commercial developments in Reading. Below is a map I've knocked together showing some of these:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1148/readinglu0.png

Blue lines are road improvements:
- M4 J11 rebuilding with two new bridges and public transport priority.
- IDR (inner distribution road) made one-way with improvements for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport.
- Third Thames crossing east of the town, with a bypass of Caversham. This is very much up in the air, no funding has been secured as yet.
- New bridge under the railway, west of the centre, and new link roads. Part of the station area redevelopment scheme.
- Link road from the A33 to the A4 at M4 J12. Part of the Kennet Valley Park (http://www.kennetvalleypark.com/KVP_PDFS/transport2.pdf) scheme.
- Several new park&ride sites (marked as P).

Red asterisks are rail improvements:
- Reading station rebuilding.
- New station at Green Park.

Purple lines are the proposed Mass Rapid Transit network (initially bus-based, but initially envisaged as tram-based).

Green areas are commercial developments. From west to east:
- Kennet Valley Park (http://www.kennetvalleypark.com/index.html), a huge scheme providing up to 7,500 new homes over a 25-year period. See the masterplan (http://www.kennetvalleypark.com/KVP_PDFS/masterplan.pdf).
- Green Park Village (http://www.greenparkvillage.co.uk/index.html), an extension of the existing Green Park business park but providing homes as well as offices.
- Southside Reading (http://www.southsidereading.com/pages/vision/vision.htm), a residential/commercial scheme spanning the A33 and providing yet more housing and office space! See their masterplan (http://www.southsidereading.com/downloads/ssr_masterplan.pdf).
- In the city centre, Chatham Place (http://www.chathamplace.co.uk/main.html) is ongoing and will eventually provide new apartments and public space, as well as a 600-space carpark.
- The Civic Centre is due for redevelopment, replacing a rather ugly 1960s building on the site at present.
- Station Hill (http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/) is a 1.4m sqft planned mixed-use development including some towers up to 28 stories.
- New apartments have been planned also at Kenavon Drive (http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/servingyou/planning/Kenavon_Dirve_UrbanDesignConceptStatemt.pdf).

Chris

SLOUGH - It looks like the Thames Valley is really powering forward at the moment. The famous "Heart of Slough" project has also been given the go ahead with estimates of work starting as early as 2008!!

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/b/b9/HeartofSloughConcept.jpg pic from answers.com

http://www.slough.gov.uk/images/content_images/heart-slough-masterplan.jpg pic from www.slough.gov.uk

http://www.archsearch.co.uk/shared/showLarge.html?id=14103&mime=image/jpg pic from Reid Architecture: http://www.archsearch.co.uk/uP14E1egLJb=CKIWCsxL8iQ/practices/146/1.html

Heart of Slough


Background
In February 2006, English Partnerships announced a funding package of £17.52m for the Heart of Slough regeneration scheme. Initiated by Slough Borough Council, the project aims to regenerate 11.75 ha of land in the town centre mainly owned by the Borough Council and Thames Valley University. The area encompasses Brunel Bus Station, the existing library, the church square and parts of the University itself.

English Partnerships’ funding will enable Slough Borough Council to conclude the development agreement with its partners Development Securities and Berkeley Homes. The Heart of Slough scheme will help to create an attractive gateway to the town as well as improving its infrastructure and environment. This will include the provision of more than 1,300 high-quality homes, 22,000 sq m of office space, a new bus station, revised road layout, public recreation spaces plus a new library and community facilities.

Current Status
Slough Borough Council and English Partnerships are working with Berkeley Homes and Development Securities to deliver the scheme, which will lead to a total investment of over £200m.

To date, external funding brought in by the Heart of Slough scheme includes:

A Creative Industries Enterprise Hub funded by SEEDA at Thames Valley University;
£3m European Equal funding for work on creative initiatives with disadvantaged communities;
£106,000 from South East Arts for Art at the Centre
http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/print.aspx?pointerid=0F98809E864146D5A5B766CA811D7067

READING - Its not ONLY the wonderful Slough that is doing so well at the moment... other parts of the Thames Valley are also developing fast:


Reading Central gets green light
15:04 | 17.09.07

Reading Central – the biggest office development ever planned in Reading – got the go-ahead at a council meeting last week.
http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=297&storycode=3095507&c=1

I'm not particularly excited by Reading Central. I don't think its gonna be the best looking building around. Though it should make a fairly impressive horse-shoe of modern and old buildings around Forbury Gardens.
http://www.propertyweek.com/Pictures/web/m/e/k/readingcentral.jpg

Abbey Mill House now underway, hopefully start rising soon:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1209/1270183690_52f15d866d.jpg

11 storey Chatham Place flats going up too. New car park at the development opens shortly:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1234/1234669034_a30b0645c6.jpg?v 0

good stuff. peterson, the kings point scheme is 52m tall by the way.

MAIDENHEAD - Berkshire strikes again!

This time Maidenhead [The Head] (not to be outdone by its more famous neighbours Slough [The Office] and Windsor [The Castle]) is redeveloping its town centre!!!

Maidenhead Town Centre - Towards 2026
Working in partnership to make a good town even better
http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/consultation_maidenhead_town_centre.htm

http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/graphics/lge_csc_maidenhead_town_centre_650x586.jpg


More Shopping
The three potential locations for new shops could be for a range of variety, fashion and household goods, cafés and restaurants (food stores are forecast to be well catered for in the years to come, thanks to expansions by existing stores, e.g. Sainsbury's and Waitrose). The new shops could be in mixed developments, with some car parking on site and with office space or residential units on upper floors.

West Street
The new shops could overlook Kidwell's Park and be connected to the High Street by a new pedestrian route. West Street itself could remain a service route, hidden from view by new shop units. New development at the Castle Hill roundabout could improve views of the town centre.
Broadway
The proposals could involve redeveloping the existing multi-storey car park to link new shops directly with the Nicholsons Shopping Centre. There could be an arcade leading to Queen Street and a new square by the Grenfell Island development.
East end of the High Street
Revitalising this area is key to improving town centre connections to the river, starting at the York Stream. The proposals could create a public square around the York Stream, with a cluster of new shops, cafés and restaurants overlooking it, and with other nearby changes to improve pedestrian routes into the town centre.
Pivotal Areas
Maidenhead Station
The arrival of Crossrail services from central London will provide the opportunity to create a station square - a better transport interchange - with direct pedestrian routes to the station. There could also be a flagship hotel and office development over the platforms, and replacement car parking nearby.
Approach to Maidenhead Bridge
While the town's riverside image rests on the beauty of Maidenhead Bridge, it is let down by the approach to it from the town centre and its immediate setting. The proposals suggest a new hotel or residential development on the prominent corner, as well as changing the road's central reservation to create a grander tree-lined boulevard. The Moor Arches area on Moorbridge Road could also be improved to strengthen this main route to the river.
Supporting sites
York Road, St Ives Road, Park Street and Grove Road
This area has an important supporting role in the future of the town centre. There are opportunities to provide replacement car parking, new residential development, office space and public spaces, revitalising the civic area together with consideration of proposals for the York Stream from the Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group. The football and bowling clubs could be relocated to land south of Stafferton Way, where they would have improved facilities and still have good public access.

BRACKNELL - The UKs 2nd favourite new town (after Milton Keynes) is not wanting to be left home by its Berkshire competition and also entering the race to develop its town centre.

It EVEN has it OWN WEBSITE!!! http://www.changebracknell.com/

Town plan: http://www.changebracknell.com/_downloads/townplan.pdf

Keeping you up to date around townFull Steam Ahead To Regenerate Bracknell Town Centre
21/09/07

Plans for the £750 million regeneration of Bracknell town centre took a step forward last night (Thursday), when the Planning and Highways Committee of Bracknell Forest Borough Council granted permission for variations to the initial outline planning permission secured by the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership.

New shops, restaurants, cafes and bars as well as homes, business accommodation and improved public open spaces are included in the proposals. The regeneration will also deliver highway and public transport improvements, and new public buildings, including a larger town centre library.

Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: “The regeneration is in sight and we are looking forward to seeing the much needed transformation of Bracknell town centre in the near future.

David Gregory, Development Manager at BRP, added: “This consent takes the team another step closer to starting the regeneration project. We are now progressing the designs for the retail development in the north of the town. We are hard at work behind the scenes on the many details required for the development and we thank Bracknell residents for their continued support for the regeneration.”

Whilst BRP works towards starting on site progress is being made on a number of other key developments set to change the face of Bracknell.

Designs are now being drawn up for the replacement of the key public buildings that will have to be moved to make way for the regeneration scheme, including the police, Magistrates’ Court, Royal British Legion, council offices and Bracknell Library.

Nicholas Hare Associates have been selected as the architects for the new civic centre. The highly regarded company has been responsible for projects such as the Oval Basin in Cardiff and the Royal Courts in Guernsey.

Construction work has started on the £36 million redevelopment of Bracknell and Wokingham College in the town centre.

Howard O’Keefe, Principal and Chief Executive of the College, said: “Our vision is of a new campus, a world class facility of which all local people can be proud and from which they will benefit. The design of the new building is modern and distinctive, making a fitting backdrop to the “eastern gateway” to Bracknell town centre as it approaches regeneration.”

Plans are also being developed to rebuild Garth Hill College to the south of Bracknell town centre with a decision by the Council’s Executive to go-ahead with the procurement of the £33 million project.

Elsewhere in the town centre, Camp Moss Properties Ltd has submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of properties in Market Street, which is now being considered by the Council. Provided the scheme complies with outline planning permission, this could bring a much-needed facelift to this part of town.

Ed Goodwin, Managing Director, said: “We have now submitted our planning application for a mixed-use development, which will create new business, retail, leisure and homes on one of the major sites in the town centre. If we are successful in our planning application, we would hope to make a start as soon as possible in the New Year. We are extremely excited about our proposed development and believe it will create a modern and innovative frontage for the western approach to the new Bracknell town centre.”

Two weeks ago the owners of the former 3M building, Comer Homes, also released pictures of their proposals to demolish the existing building and replace it with luxury apartments. Any scheme would need to provide for the existing indoor market and fit within the overall master plan for the area. This is another clear sign of commitment to the regeneration of Bracknell town centre.

The former Met Office roundabout is also being transformed with the new Celsius development.

Visitors will already have seen signs of the regeneration starting to happen, with ground investigations works being carried out in bore holes across the town centre. The important work will establish the make-up of the earth beneath the town centre ahead of construction beginning.

Both BRP and the Council are working hard to make Bracknell a successful and vibrant town even before the regeneration. New national brands have recently been attracted to the town centre by BRP including Bay Trading with Dolcis, Miss Selfridge, BBs Coffee and Muffins, Caffé Nero in Bentalls, and Thorntons.
Home Regeneration Infrastructure Deliverability Sustainability Retail Potential Location Spending Power News Contact Downloads Latest News21/09/07
Full Steam Ahead To Regenerate Bracknell Town Centre
11/09/07
Bracknell Flowers Continue to Bloom
10/09/07
Geotechnical work gets the thumbs up from Borough Mayor
View ArchiveBracknell.com Events12/09/07
TERRY BROOKS - Booksigning in Waterstone's, Bracknell Thursday 20 Sept

WINDSOR steps up to the Berkshire beat with a new shopping/office development (now nearly complete!!)

http://www.burrows.co.uk/rbwm/images/3C.JPG

More Berkshire info here: http://www.burrows.co.uk/rbwm/03LocM.htm

MAIDENHEAD & SLOUGH

Yes Berkshire fans! - Crossrail is GOOD NEWS for Maidenhead, Slough and the surrounding region. They will continue to go from strength to strength in the UK's answer to the Silicon Valley - The Thames Valley.

Watch this space for station upgrades/rebuilds and new projects.

Does anyone have pics of the new Reading station design? - should be happening soon.

I have a PDF of the layout but if I showed you I'd have to kill you. Or something like that. It's pretty impressive though!

BRACKNELL (The UK's 2nd favourite new town)

Regeneration takes a step closer to reality
http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/town-and-country-october-2007-page-20-to-21.pdf

The £750million regeneration of Bracknell town centre took another important step forward this summer in July when the compulsory purchase order (CPO) was signed, published and delivered. Cllr Mrs Gill Birch, Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, and Alex
Jack, Borough Solicitor, signed the official document. The CPO is needed to ensure land registration can be settled fairly to
enable the regeneration to proceed. Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: "This is a significant step towards
our new town centre. "Over recent months the regeneration programme has moved on a long way. The road closure order,
which was published in May, resulted in only four objections which are being addressed by the developer. The next stage will be to progress plans for the new civic building, magistrates court, police station and Royal British Legion and work is due to start late next year. "Although there is still lots to do, this represents another major milestone in our efforts to make the new town centre a reality."
Meanwhile the Council's planning and highways committee is due to discuss a supplementary planning application submitted by Bracknell
Regeneration Partnership (BRP), to vary some of the elements of the original outline planning permission.
This further planning application is normal practice and entirely consistent with a development of this scale.

READING does it again!!!

Information and pictures from skyscrapernews.com:

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1179ReadingTwinTowers_pic1.jpg

Reading Twin Towers

Published on 2007-10-30 by Skyscrapernews.com


Reading could be set for the unusual rare sight of suburban towers if an ambitious developer gets their way.

Wharf Land Developments hope to develop a 22 acre site in the far south of Reading named Warton Grange near Junction 11 on the edge of the M4 Motorway and overlooking the A33 relief road.

On the northern part of the site will be two largely elliptical lip-stick topped towers reaching up to 40 floors high orientated to provide a gateway to commuters using the nearby road. If built they would be by far the tallest buildings in the wannabe Berkshire city - even the current tallest proposal for Reading is about 10 floors shorter.

There will also be numerous lower-rise blocks but surprisingly little by the way of stepping up in height from these to the pinnacles of the towers giving the towers little context to stand in. In total there will be 900 new apartments on the site, a new hotel, a cinema, ground floor retail and a water feature snaking through the center of the plot.

Enabling the entire development, and perhaps making the scheme dependent on its realisation, is the station for Reading's long awaited Mass Transit System, basically a tram network that has a line planned to run past the site, thus justifying its sheer distance from the middle of Reading.

The plans are still in outline form with individual buildings needing detailed design and so liable to change heavily before they are submitted fully to the council's planning department. Even then the success of Warton Grange will depend on other factors, namely whether or not Reading can pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and build the Mass Transit System.
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1107

more details of the Worton Grange vision:

http://www.greenissues.com/readingcitygateway/images/Proposals2.jpg

http://www.greenissues.com/readingcitygateway/images/Sustainability1.jpg

http://www.greenissues.com/readingcitygateway/images/Transport2.jpg

the MRT (mass rapid transport) will not be trams. Something like this is planned:
http://www.greenissues.com/readingcitygateway/images/Transport1.jpg
don't know quite what it is! Big buses basically I think, running where possible on dedicated roads. The first "line" will be from this area around J11 to the station. I'm liking the plans though

Thanks for the pics and info' Peterson.

I'm still hoping a forumer can provide us with an update on the redevelopment of Reading Train Station soon. I hear it will be mighty impressive.

Also, with the new crossrail, does anyone have any news on new stations or upgrades for Maidenhead or Slough Train stations?

Reading:
the Station Hill application is to be considered by the council in March. CABE does not support the application. The developers have put some new material on their site ahead of a public exhibition. Some new images:

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/images/homecompos.jpg
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/images/mainhome.jpg

http://skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1343VictoriaWayApproved_pic1.jpg

unfortunately victoria way has been approved and is more stumpy than previously.

READING Powers ever forward!


Reading's £400m Station Hill on track

09:34 | 06.03.08

John Madejski’s Sackville Developments got the go-ahead last night for its 1.4m sq ft Station Hill scheme in Reading.

By Jennifer Rigby

The £400m mixed-use project won planning in a unanimous vote by officers at a meeting of Reading Council.

The scheme comprises 800,000 sq ft of offices, 100,000 sq ft of retail, 624 flats and cultural and community space and has two tall towers, of 22 and 32 storeys.

Madejski, chairman of Sackville and Reading Football club, said: ‘We said we would bring the “wow” factor to the town and now we’re on our way to doing just that.

‘I am a great believer in the future of Reading and its desire to be recognised as a European city.’
Click here to find out more!

John Homan, executive director at Sackville, said: ‘Getting planning for Station Hill is the first step on the way to the birth of a city.’

Sackville has been working on the scheme for several years. Planning went in a year ago.

It is now working on the masterplan to redevelop the vacant Friars Walk next to Station Hill to integrate it into the scheme, and is also liaising with Network Rail.

The council will now refer the application to the Government Office for the South East under the normal procedure. Work could begin in 2009 with the first phase complete by 2012.

Sackville is advised by development managers Horstonbridge. Strutt & Parker and Hicks Baker are letting agents at the scheme and David Lock Associates is the planning consultant.




http://www.propertyweek.com/story.as...de=3108155&c=1

Reading

The outline application for Station Hill was approved yesterday. The first phase will include two buildings approx 120 & 100 metres tall.
http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/sbres/719.$plit/C_67_article_2023004_body_articleblock_4_bodyimage.jpg?04%2F03%2F2008%2015%3A54%3A44%3A690

An application has been submitted for a Radisson hotel around 100m tall. This means the previous permission on the same site for a 22 storey apartment block is effictively abandoned. Radisson:
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/5421RadissonSASReading_pic1.jpg

The main project under construction is the 14 floor 'Blade' formerly known as Abbey Mill House
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2072/2312140415_cef05db82d.jpg

Construction has also started on One Reading Central, a large 10-storey office that has been pre-let to Yell, or most of it anyway.
Chatham Place phase one is almost complete (apartments and car park). Phase Two (offices, public square, covering over ringroad) is awaiting a detailed application.

interesting projects for Reading...what about Slough? there's something?

Well actually, thanks for asking legumbre, yes there is plenty of things happening in the wonderful town of

SLOUGH

For example:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2008/01/21/heart_of_slough_feature.shtml

Heart of Slough
It's been ten years in the making, but finally details of the £400 million project to revamp Slough have been revealed. See one of the designs below and have your say.

It's become an iconic image as part of hit comedy series The Office. But after ten years of planning the Brunel Bus Station is set to see its last days with a £400 million regeneration project to revamp Slough.

Other plans include 1,500 new homes to be built in the town centre, a new hotel with restaurant quarter, and 34,000 square metres of new office space.

And here is the architect's impression of the new library we could possibly see next to St Ethelbert's Church - planned to become an iconic landmark and one that will replace the old library:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/21/slough_lib_470_470x300.jpg

The public will get a chance to see the plans in detail at a public exhibition in the Queensmere Centre, Slough from Thursday 24 January to Saturday 26 January.

The new plans, headed up by Slough Borough Council and English Partnerships, also feature the removal of the existing roundabout on the A4 in order to free up land on which to build residential and commercial properties.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/22/dextersmith_152x203.jpg

English Partnerships are investing £13.5 million in the project. The partnership's area director David Ashworth says that the project "will bring real benefits to the community and make Slough a city ready for growth in the 21st Century".

He adds: "The provision of affordable homes, the regeneration of the town centre and the re-use of brownfield land are key elements of the project.

"The exciting architecture and the increase in civic pride, which we believe the project will engender, make these plans a real triumph."

Residents are invited to comment on the plans during and after the exhibition.

If planning consent is granted by the late summer then construction is planned begin in the spring of 2009. If approved the scheme is set to be completed by 2018.

Images here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/24/slough_masterplan_470x300.jpg
Artist's impression of Slough boulevard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/24/slough_streetview_470x300.jpg
Artist's impression of a Slough street view.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/24/slough_tvu_public_470x300.jpg
Artist's impression of Thames Valley University public square in Slough.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/24/slough_tvu_square_470x300.jpg
Artist's impression of Thames Valley University square in Slough.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/01/24/sloughlibrary_470x300.jpg
Artist's impression of a new Slough library by St Ethelbert's Church.




----------------------

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/dailynews/2008/01/heart_of_slough_revealed.html


Heart of Slough masterplan revealed
Published: 23 January 2008 11:23 Author: Richard Waite More by this Author Last Updated: 23 January 2008 12:50

Slough's uninspiring town centre, made famous in BBC2's sitcom The Office, is to be overhauled under new £400 million plans revealed yesterday.

The long-awaited proposals for the Berkshire town, which have been nearly 10 years in the making, include a new 'cultural hub' designed by 3DReid, 34,000m2 of offices by Sheppard Robson and around 1,400 homes by RHWL.

The Heart of Slough masterplan revolves around the notoriously bland and soon-to-be reworked roundabout that features in the opening sequence of The Office, and will see the flattening of, among other things, the old Brunel Bus Station.

Backed by English Partnerships, the scheme will also replace Slough Borough Council's existing library with 3DReid's cultural centre (pictured), which will house a museum, an adult-learning centre, a café and library facilities next to St Ethelbert's Church.

Matthew Bedward, design director at 3DReid, said: 'The design will create an architecturally uplifting space offering modern, state-of-the-art facilities to the people of Slough and beyond.

'The building is planned to engage the community and help foster creativity, knowledge and learning... [and] sets out to create an identifiable and distinctive place within the town centre focused around a sculptural civic building.'

Planning consent for the proposals is expected to be granted by the end of the summer and work on site could begin in spring 2009.

Author: Richard Waite.

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/images/3DReid%20slough2_resized_250_tcm23-527283.jpg

£400 million!

amazing! this project could be great to Slough's urban heart. great news!

thank you LDN_EUROPE

Yes £400,000,000 IS impressive but not much compared to the

£750,000,000 being spent in BRACKNELL - designed by RICHARD ROGERS!!!

http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/environment/env-regeneration.htm

Regeneration
What's happening?

Exciting plans for the redevelopment of Bracknell town centre are moving forward.

A comprehensive £750million mixed-use regeneration scheme will rejuvenate Bracknell town centre.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Bracknell Regeneration Partnership are working together to build a town centre fit for the 21st century, based exactly on what local people want. Outline Planning permission was granted in December 2006 for the development

The new town centre will deliver leisure and retail facilities, cafes and restaurants, 1,000 new homes, a new central library and civic accommodation. There will also be transport improvements, a large health centre, a new bus station, better CCTV, a new police station, Magistrates’ Court and Royal British Legion and beautiful new open public spaces.

--------------

http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/environment/regeneration-2.jpg

MORE IMAGES HERE:
http://www.changebracknell.com/


AND here:

http://www.richardrogers.co.uk/Asp/uploadedFiles/Image/News/bracknell.jpg

http://www.bracknell.gov.uk/town-centre-regeneration-plan-image-2.jpg

Wow, the bracknell development looks really nice in renders, not sure if the final development will look the same

i do not know if this has been mentioned yet but the government has called in the station hill development, a disgrace in my opinion i really dont understand why the government can have any problems with a problem with a project such as this one that has so much potential but its typical of the way things work in this country really isn't it

ok Berks people - let us know if/when you have news.

very impressive Slough is going to look really interesting.

Planning App for Heart Of Slough is in. No new images just hundreds and hundreds of pages of Environmental Impact reports, Design reviews and traffic analysis. No sexy new renders just a slightly more detailed Materplan.


Sorry I can’t provide Images as the planning docs are password protected PDF files.

The tired old shopping centre finally seems to be getting a rebuild. Criterion Capital mention several tenant moves and plans for redevelopment in their brochure. They have also submitted a planning app for Phase one of their plan. In the design brief it also gives an overview of the eventual plan.

When they built Wellington street in the 70’s to act as a bypass of the old high street they ploughed the street between the Station and the high street. It still shows. The development that followed is orientated to the High street and presents a disjointed series of service and car park ramps to the streets will large blank walls and irregular lots, giving the impression of driving through a large alleyway. As a pedestrian, you scuttle across the road between Tesco’s, the Rail and Bus Station and the High Street. No reason to linger here.

The Heart of Slough project will transform the Western End of Wellington Street to an urban boulevard. Buildings averaging 10 storeys will line the street and will be orientated towards it. With the roundabout gone and the bus station/multi-storey demolished This area will start to feel like a real town centre rather than a collection of buildings.

The Shopping centre redevelopment will extend this Urban enclosure further East. Eventually the old seventies brutallist office block and Muti storey will be knocked and replaced with new larger shops and 500 new flats arranged as a series of 10-15 storey towers, along the road. Even the black and white photocopied planning document looks quite impressive.

Currently the Observatory centre seems filled with temporary or vacant stores. These mostly occupy areas where they plan to rebuild. At the western end they will build a 30,000 sq ft store which it looks like Primark will relocate to. This will allow TK Maxx to move to Primark’s unit. Which is important because that space to knock through a new mall to link the Observatory and Queensmere shopping centres together. That will encourage people to use the underused Observatory car park, which allow them to demolish the multi storey car park and build a new underground one, on top of which they will new department store., and new apartment towers above.

I can’t see Slough attracting John Lewis or House of Fraser. But both the Debenhams and Marks are undersized and the Debenhams is in old rickety 50’s building. So a relocation is more likely. But that would give for more redevelopment towards the high street.

The Eastern end of Wellington street will only be sorted out if the huge Post office sorting office is moved to a new location. Currently it’s a mess of buildings and lorries and car parks.

RP - this is great news... when will building work start?

I'm so glad that the train station and High Street will join up and that the Observatory and Queensmere shopping centres will be linked.

If the bus station is being knocked down, where will they build a new one? I hope it is still near the train station as this creates an important transport hub in Slough Town centre.

It sounds like things are really looking up for Slough and it might be able to compete with Reading and Bracknell again!! Good news.

While I've managed to copy the app details from Slough's Website, their regeneration page which was only up on the 30th of July has suffered a broken link.

I'm sure that page mentioned several stages. The first to be built would be the new bus station so the old one could be pulled down. I imagine the road works would also be first, as the can't start building until the release the land that the old roundabout takes up.

The new Bus station will be between Soverign Court and that brutalist many octogon'd office building by the Station. It is currently occupied by a small office building and the exit ramp to the multy storey car park. I remember 2012 as being a signifcant date. The new office buildings will arrive in phases. Once the new library moves next to the church then the old library will be rebuilt as a Hotel and flats. They have not set themselves an ambitious build out date. They propose the last phase of flats on the Thames Valley University site is not expected to be built till 2027!!!

I'm sure this will be finished before then. Once the property cycle gets under way it'll be full steam ahead again.

They better not linger too long as at the Southern End of the Town centre near the Police Station a new eight storey 120,000 sq ft block of offices is to be built speculatively.

Plus with Crterion hopefully starting soon on phase one of the Shopping centre then by time they are ready for phase two to start construction in 2010, then the new blocks of flats can be launched just as the housing market has started to restart.



Web Reference:
Planning Application: P/14405/000
Application Date: 04-Jul-2008
Area: West
Parish:
Ward: Chalvey Registration Date: 04-Jul-2008
Decision Date:
Application Type: Outline Planning
We accept representations on current planning applications from registration date up to the date of decision.

Main Location: Heart of Slough Redevelopment, Corner of, Wellington & William St., Windsor Rd., Brunel Way, High Street, Slough, Berkshire
Long Proposal THE REDEVELOPMENT / RECONFIGURATION OF THE EXISTING ROUNDABOUT AT THE JUNCTION OF WELLINGTON STREET WITH WILLIAM STREET TO CREATE A CROSSROAD LAYOUT AT THIS ROAD JUNCTION. PLUS THE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING PEDESTRIAN SUBWAY (UNDERNEATH WELLINGTON STREET), AND ALTERATIONS TO THE FOOTWAYS OF WELLINGTON STREET, WILLIAM STREET AND HIGH STREET WEST ASSOCIATED WITH WORKS TO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC REALM/LANDSCAPING ON THESE STREETS (FULL). IN ADDITION, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FOUR QUADRANT SITES ADJACENT TO THE ROUNDABOUT (THAMES VALLEY UNIVERSITY; BRUNEL BUS STATION, SLOUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY; AND SLOUGH DAY CENTRE AND THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY IMMACULATE AND ST ETHELBERT) INVOLVING DEMOLITION OF ALL EXISTING BUILDINGS EXCEPT FOR THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY IMMACULATE AND ST ETHELBERT TO PROVIDE: 1,598 NEW DWELLINGS; 48,708SQM OF (CLASS B1 USE) OFFICE SPACE; A 120 BED HOTEL; A NEW BUS STATION; 6,085SQM OF COMMUNITY FLOOR SPACE (CLASS D1 USE) INCLUDING PROVISION OF A NEW LIBRARY, CLASS A1 RETAIL USE AND CLASS A3 CAFÉ / RESTAURANT, CLASS A4 USE (PUBS/BARS), CLASS D2 USE (LEISURE) AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC REALM AND PARKING (OUTLINE).
Status: Registered application

Another new plan is that Slough estates have launched a consultation for their new masterplan for the Trading Estate. It centres around redeveloping Leigh Road between the Bath Road (A4) and Buckingham Avenue. Currently this road runs in the centre of the Estate but is of limited use because of narrow limited weight bridge that crosses the railway line, that is controlled by traffic lights.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=slough+trading+estate&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=8.519629,18.259277&ie=UTF8&ll=51.517636,-0.622444&spn=0.008759,0.017831&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr

The plan is to demolish the bridge and build a new two lane bridge. The existing road will remain two lanes but will be wider and become a Boulevard, with trees. and grass verges. This will require demlolition af all the buildings along the road.

The plan is to make this the focus of the estate, to give it a 'town centre'. The aim is to build hotels, serviced apartments for short term corporate lets, some offices, a business hub with meeting rooms and conference facilites plus health club, some limited retail, restaurants, banks plus a training centre.

This is obviously Slough's Estates attempt in giving the estate the same facilities as Business Parks such as Chiswick Park.

It could be quite interesting but this such a large plan it will take at least ten years to achieve.

While trawling some planning apps I noted the planning department objecting to submitted application because it could compromise widening the Bath Road.

As I can't find any thing on this I assume it is either a long stading set back require so that future widening can't be compromised. Or the propsed new masterplan for the Trading estate will involve an actual rebuilding of the road.

At the moment the A4 a long this stretch is two lanes in each direction with no seperation and no seperate right turn lanes. Which leads to bizarre traffic light patterns, as both directions can't go at the same time, this is to allow right turn movements on the green phase. This means even in ligh traffic you often only manage one set of lights before grinding to a holt even when there is no traffic from the side roads. This current stretch of road is pleasent with wide grass verges and mature trees, with parralel service roads providning access to the office buildings.

I can't seem them providing an extra running lane, and there are not enough buses along this road to require extra bus lanes. Most buses in Slough divert around the estate to serve the big housing estates either side of it.

Yet another new office building.

Scottish Widows have had their plans to demolish the old Brutalist Octogan building. They plan two linked Office buildings of 8 and 10 Storeys. The plan will offer 300,000 sq ft of space.

Just came from a different direction into Slough today. I did not realise that office market in Slough is so hot at the moment. O2 is has nearly finished doubling the size of it is Headquarters building along the Bath road. Scottish Widows has already nearly demolished the Octogan building.

Another new office building core has risen to the seventh floor, no idea what is being there, but it's next to the site for the other seven storey office building mentioned above. And it looks like other one has broken ground.

It looks like that the overhang from the technology bust has finally gone. There have been a few new office buildings built along the Bath road in the last few years but the have tended to be done one by one.

But this adds up to about 600,000 sq ft at once.

Ye, the Bath Road is pretty swanky these days.

I suprised anybody continually invests in Slough, since its a no go zone for normal ppl. Slough is one of the most boring places I have ever visited. Truly dull!

H'mm that normal people crack might be construed unfavourably, considering Slough has a very high ethnic population. But I'm sure you ment something else.

True the town centre is a horrific post war mess, that hopefully is slowly improving. But economically, Slough is very successful. It has access to three motorway junctions on the M4 is 15 minutes from Heathrow and has fast rail links to London, with both express and local services.

The towns growth was founded on its industrial estate. This meant that large swathes of cheap 30's suburbia grew around it. So apart from it Western and Eastern Extremities there is not much expensive housing and therefore well organised nimbys. Its lack of historical charm means that there is not much to protect. What little that was worth keeping was mostly demolished in 50's to 70's.

Slough Trading Estates operates as a simplified planning zone. This means that most development will be presumed to be supported if it follows the agreed principles for the estate.

The vast Trading Estate and the main east west (Bath Road) road that runs through the town has allowed plenty of redevelopment sites. New industries and Offices have easily replaced redundant old uses. Slough is a pro growth town in an area surrounded by nimbies combined with very good locational advantages.

^^Fully agree Rational Plan.

Just to illustrate the development now occuring here is a pic of the tallest building going up in Slough at the moment - 15 floors in total. This is being built right next to the train station and is part of a development that includes a 10 floor hotel and a number of 8 and 7 storey buildings.

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0569.jpg

Bloody hell.Its quite a suprise to see this level of development in reading and area.
Great! :)
Edit-
Oh and also,was on the statio hill site and found this PDF.
Contains loads of renders.This is really going to change reading.Theres some skyline shots in there aswell.
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/images/Exhibition.pdf

Very informative re. Station Hill, thanks jayo.

Key milestone met on town centre regeneration scheme
13/10/08

The regeneration of Bracknell town centre has taken a significant step forward as the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) has now been confirmed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Securing the CPO is a key milestone in the regeneration process and enables Bracknell Forest Council to ensure that all of the land necessary for the development can be legally acquired, if it proves impossible to acquire land by agreement.

Confirmation of the CPO also provides the platform for the Council’s development partner Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP) to move forward with the designs of the scheme, further negotiations with major retail tenants and finalisation of the strategy for delivering the development.

In the letter of confirmation, the Government Office for the South East, stated: “The Secretary of State considers that there are no outstanding legal implications to the confirmation of the Compulsory Purchase Order or implementation of the proposed scheme.”

Cllr Paul Bettison, Leader of Bracknell Forest Council, explained: “This is another great step forward for the scheme. Now that we have received confirmation of the CPO, we will be able to look at the timetable of the phasing.”

Helen Barnett, marketing manager for Bracknell Regeneration Partnership commented: “We are all very pleased to have received this confirmation. Bracknell continues to be a thriving community and we are all working hard to produce a development which will transform the town centre.”

It is anticipated that detailed designs will be unveiled and announcements about the first letting agreements made within the next 18 months.

Yet another new office building.

Scottish Widows have had their plans to demolish the old Brutalist Octogan building. They plan two linked Office buildings of 8 and 10 Storeys. The plan will offer 300,000 sq ft of space.

Rational Plan, here is a photo of the current site (now demolished!)

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0641.jpg

Any renders?

sry i must reiterate slough is a no go zone for normal people, because its a shitty housing estate that has no life and soul. I feel sorry for the sad moron that decides to live there, they truly have no taste! (Im from Reading by the way - which is 10 times better)

sry i must reiterate slough is a no go zone for normal people, because its a shitty housing estate that has no life and soul. I feel sorry for the sad moron that decides to live there, they truly have no taste! (Im from Reading by the way - which is 10 times better)

pac it in (excuse my pun there)

got any more info on the slough redevelopment?

Here's a few bits of the Slough Estates Masterplan

http://www.sloughte.com/IMAGES/NewSTE/Masterplan_lrg.gif

http://www.sloughte.com/Park/STE/MasterPlan/TheProposal.htm

got any more info on the slough redevelopment?

This is what is planned for Scottish Widows:

http://www.formationarchitects.co.uk/office/octagon-slough/

short video piece on Reading developments:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7695863.stm

I saw the blade coming into Reading from Maidenhead on the A4, it really stands out from everything else. (Except the Gasometer that is). An excellent addition to Reading. I was also really impressed with the sheer quantity of development to the south of the town.

Work is progressing well with the new Bracknell and Wokingham College (7 storeys) which adds density just on the edge of Bracknell town centre. Here is a photo I took last week:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0593.jpg

You can see the old College (to be demolished when the new one is complete) just to the right.

Thanks all... keep the news coming. How's 'The Heart of Slough' coming along? How's the new town centre in Bracknell developing?

wow, i completely forgot the blade (http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=1910) in reading was under construction! got so much info off the official brochure into it it's not true. i see it will be completed in january 2009, i think i will need to pay reading a visit as it looks like it will be quite superb.

some recent reading photos:
the blade nearly finished
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures058.jpg
one reading central
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures057.jpg

Thanks for the photos Reading General.
I'm often stopping in the Tilehurst area (Purley on Thames) and usually get into central Reading to see what's going on, haven't been for quite a few months now though, so good to see the updated photos.

no problem.
some more for you then

the impact of the blade on the skyline
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures064.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures080.jpg
chatham place phase 1 complete
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures079.jpg
one reading central and the blade
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures070.jpg
reading station with the site of the new platforms in the foreground
and a rather depressing looking western tower (the site of the station hill developement)
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures071.jpg

reading general, is Chatham Place the one with the new high rise car park next to it?

yes it is.

should be great to see the blade finished ... reading desperately needs something like it on the skyline, and that novotel looks so unbelievably crap

I agree, Reading is the ideal spot for skyscrapers.

yes, im suprised the novotel got planning permission when better projects like the forbury tower and original chatham street tower were turned down. it looks awful from most views. still, perhaps station hill will hide some of these views if it ever gets permission.

i have always thought reading is perfect for tall buildings lots of heritage has long gone, and what is left is of no national interest really. but what is left can sit perfectly alongside modern architechture.
the council and most locals are always frightened of change beliving what will be built will be like the mistakes of the past like western tower(the hideous novotel doesnt really help does it).
we have plenty of multinational companies here,but they are sat on the edge of town in faceless business parks in lego set buildings. it would be nice if they were all in attractive tall buildings in town,but business parks mean car parking spaces getting companies away from these is difficult.

agreed - more of the big names in the town centre would be nice. Good that Yell chose to stay in town despite being tempted by a move to GreenPark.

There are some nice older buildings still around. The combination of new and old surrounding Forbury gardens should look great when Reading Central and the Blade are all finished.

Not heard much on Station Hill since they went back to the drawing board after the call-in. And Chatham Place developers are making nervous noises and seem desperate for the council to choose there for the new civic offices. So the crane count may, like everywhere, drop a little before a new post-recession wave of development begins.


www.reading-forum.co.uk

yes, the call in. so close, then snatched away by someone who's never been to the town. i'm scared that the locals will begin to question the height of the buildings in the new plans and we will get a dulled down version. i did hear that mr madejski was keen not to reduce the heights of the buildings but we will see. i see it that if you build regular height buildings nobody will move into them. if you build a landmark, they will.
shame about the radisson as well. dont know why that was turned down.
im not hoping for a skyline of 50 storey monsters(although i wouldn't mind) just a few buildings above 100 metres will be impressive enough in a location like reading and get companies back in to town and hopefully workers on to public transport.

Reading - Some pictures I took about ten years ago showing how part of the town skyline looked then:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7500/09234yj1.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/9022/09236tm3.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7352/09235tp7.jpg

im not hoping for a skyline of 50 storey monsters(although i wouldn't mind) just a few buildings above 100 metres will be impressive enough in a location like reading and get companies back in to town and hopefully workers on to public transport.

having walked down a hill towards the town centre ive always felt it has so much wasted potential. in a way reading is BIG with previous posters mentioning some of the companies headquartered on the outskirts. it's also pretty damn quick to london by train, only 25 mins or so if you get a fast one. the current skyline is a flat heap of pap, just four towers i think all capped with their roofs at the same height. the blade will go some way towards solving this but they desperately need a tall building in what appears to be the centre of the cluster to add focus to it. this ideal location is the station house development. it's even next to the shitty novotel and thames tower.

also its a terrible shame the original forbury gardens scheme didn't go ahead. anyone know why not? throw that in to the mix too and it would be a nice compact and impressive skyline.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1903ForburyTower_pic1.jpg

wow, great photos. the start of oracle construction in the first photo and the demolition of nugent house in the second, before this was built in its place.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures069.jpg
not a bad 3/4 doughnut shaped building but too short and a waste of a good spot i think.

as for the forbury tower, i think cabe and english heritage said yes to this. the local council said no. i've got a feeling cabe said that it could do with a few more floors!
the developer argent were put off by the council after that and once the shorter 5 storey version was finished vowed not to come near reading again.

by the way gothicform just out of interest, what hill were you walking down?

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures271.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2008/03/07/station_hill_plans2_470x300.jpg

Hoping for something more like this in a few years...!

An update on the development next to Slough train station.

The 10 floor Hotel (on right) is complete and operational, the 15 floor residential (centre) has topped out.

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0640.jpg


Also, this eight floor office development is going up on the Windsor road - very visable from the M4:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0638.jpg

Council approves car park housing development
By Sam Blackledge 8/1/2009

PLANS to build a controversial housing development on the site of a car park in Staines have been given the green light by Spelthorne Borough Council.

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/sbres/594.$plit/C_67_article_2042478_body_articleblock_0_bodyimage.png

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2042478_council_approves_car_park_housing_development_

From the article above:

“It will overshadow and dominate the region. The visual impact will be enormous. In the most basic, brutal sense it’s a huge block of Lego. It’s totally unsuitable for the area.”

How on earth can an urban building be more unsuitable for a town centre location than the bleak blank walls of a two storey car park?

Having lived in Staines, my objection to the scheme is the loss of the Car Park. Staines does not have a lot of parking to begin with and this is the only one in that part of town. The pubs and restaurants along the river will lose even more trade. The main car park at two rivers retail is the most popular car park in the evening due its good lighting and close proximity to the High Street. The others to the South of the town are cut off by the shopping centre in the evening and you don't feel that safe in them because of the low pedestrian traffic. The councils greed for a quick profit will cost the town.

Yeah, you're right. Parking is a nightmare in Staines, especially in Two Rivers on a Saturday. However, that is a different issue to the building being "unsuitable for the area" which is completely ridiculous.

by the way gothicform just out of interest, what hill were you walking down?

thats the view ! it was more to the left than your picture but you've got the right place generally.

A few pics of Chatham Place I took yesterday:


The car park at the back
http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0806.jpg

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0808.jpg

Some detailing
http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0809.jpg

and over the bridge
http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0811.jpg

Also the Blade:

Popping up all over the place
http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0813.jpg

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0814.jpg

I'm sure he would approve
http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0818.jpg

Good soar
http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0820.jpg

Great updates!

beat me to it frankus:)

one reading central (yell building) i think this is as high as its going to to get.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures285.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures284.jpg

and the oracles public/private property with rules
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures341.jpg
this country!

Hi everyone!

Really happy to come on here and find this whole Reading section looking amazing, some fantastic photos.. !

I've had loads of photos hanging around for ages, made me laugh to see loads of the same shots I've been to, Royal Berks NCP and Railway Station multi-storey- classics!!!

Reading General: where's that last skyline from?? It's cracking, makes us look amazingly dense from that angle. Is it McIlroy Park?!

http://www.image-upload.net/images/acd36dj3thl28xlxh9d.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

http://www.image-upload.net/images/7hf8u13prvpkmhoy7o81.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

http://www.image-upload.net/images/uc8fogt3d1xcabbrnip.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

Pretty similar to what's already been posted but never mind!

http://www.image-upload.net/images/d6bsnmzgoezqkio0qnqg.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

August '08

http://www.image-upload.net/images/b10p0rdzg7z46xdcj0jn.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

October '08

http://www.image-upload.net/images/eqh440obefznvmhs9d.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

November '08

http://www.image-upload.net/images/yws5lq6ghzmdivhvay62.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

January '09

http://www.image-upload.net/images/03tah9lgcqu7vho2h267.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

Just for the sake of local pride I'd like to suggest that Reading actually looks more impressive from a distance than a city of twice it's size- Bristol.

Although Bristol benefits from far superior topography, it is of course a gorgeous and diverse collection of Somerset villages all smashed together and never really rises to any big city feel 'downtown' area. There is the cluster around Cabot Circus but pretty modest for a city of half a mil.

I've spent the last 6 years living between Reading and Bristol and know both very well and although I find Bristol a much more positive place to exist, (much friendlier atmosphere, much, much, more going on for young people- as a 25 year old male and a more traditionally attractive city) one thing I can testify to is just how much Reading has changed over the last 15/20 years. For the better. In nearly every sense.

As people has said loadsa times on here already- it really is the perfect location to develop a proper skyline. Nearly all of our historically relevant areas have been tarnished by usually having some massive, modern apartment building right next door to it, so although these little oasis' are often fairly well preserved in themselves, the overall feeling is certainly not one of tranquility and sympathy.

http://www.image-upload.net/images/9x0jwgz3oaorrfyognlk.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

Reading has undergone some strange changes in the past. An obvious point I'd like to make is the fact that the central cluster around the station didn't really change at all throughout my lifetime and then when it did, it was the consent of the Novotel building, hardly an improvment on Thames Tower/Western Tower/ NCP school of architecture.

In fact, I remember this building receiving the prestigious 'worst high rise development in the UK 2006' award on skyscrapernews.com a while back.

My grandad wrote letters to the paper expressing his sheer dismay at such a structure.. The sky blue cladding does look absolutely bloody awful from Friar street, next to all the red brick Georgian stuff.

http://www.image-upload.net/images/3mdkd2i490j7xomygn6z.jpg (http://www.image-upload.net/)

The hotel in question sits just to the left of this shot, I'll have to go and grab it later with my trusty camera(phone!) yuk.

Couldn't believe they waited 30 years to finally just build that!

I can find it in my heart to forgive the Novotel though for being bulky and tall(ish) and for letting me break in whilst under construction and get on the roof..!

Blade cool though, although grey coloured material surrounding the glass doesn't look at 'high quality' as I was expecting.

Has the Radisson Hotel plan been shelved then??? I really like the old blue glass design.

Oh yeah, the building that occupies that site at present is easy to get on the roof of if anyone wants to brave the skag-heads, kebab meat and vomit that guard the fire escape steps up the back.

Reading

As referred to, Novotel:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3388/3245156258_f8168e8b8b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/3244330653_1c8bd43f28.jpg?v=1233516172

Forbury Square with the Blade behind and Reading Central in the reflection:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3245157478_3ae6dc2f5e.jpg?v=1233515975

^^Love the last photo peterson.

Also Rob stem, I completely concur re your comments on how much Reading has changed over the last 15/20 years, this is partly due to the population increase and Reading has (IMO) reached a critical mass re its claim to becoming recognised as a city.

Good work Berkshire crew. Good to see pics of Slough, Reading and Staines. Keep the Berks pics coming.

"berkshire crew", like that.
yep rob, spot on straight away. mcilroys

the novotel from the front really isn't the worst thing i have ever seen although the cladding colour makes little sense (what was wrong with brick?)

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/4821NovotelReading_pic1.jpg

the problem is the frontage, which is underwhelming at best is the best part of the building. the back and sides of it are unforgivable.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/4821NovotelReading_pic4.jpg

i forgot i had been so withering of it, actually i forgot i wrote it at all but pleased people are using it as justification for just how crap the novotel is. living at the time in reading i watched it go up and as the scaffolding revealed what was under it i felt an increasing sense of horror.


Take a bow, Reading's new Novotel. Although the frontage does step back with a spot of colour, when viewed from Forbury it is an enormous grey block with small rectangular windows more fitting for a development built by dwarves. Three sides without a single redeeming feature make it the sort of thing that we had hoped had been left behind in the sixties. Even more puzzling is that next door Kier Properties planned Station Road Tower, an elegant piece of glass and steel, had to fight through the planning system because it was tall. No accounting for design in the eyes of Reading Council and local NIMBYs.

q2 residential block in queens road reading is starting to take shape

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures433.jpg

will be similar to q1 behind it just a bit taller i think.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures163.jpg

also sort of thames valley is basingstokes skyline plaza. a refit of the former ibm building with 2 extra floors on top.
85 metres apparently, almost complete

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures157.jpg

What is the round building on the left? Is it new or photoshopped?

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures271.jpg

the one on the furthest left is the thames water building(picture in post 97).
next along are the newtown gas holders.

thought i might show you guys the developments going on in south reading at the moment.

kennet island is a new housing development sanwiched between the basingstoke road industrial estates and the a33 relief road. built on the site of the old manor farm sewage works and fast becoming known locally as sh*t city.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures464.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures460.jpg
all very truman show.
new hilton hotel next door. with fabulous views of the a33 and the new sewage works.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures466.jpg

madejski stadium hotel extension.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures474.jpg

readings last piece of industry, the courage brewery. soon to be closed i believe, probably to be replaced by more 3 storey empty offices.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures475.jpg

talking of empty offices we move on to green park.
a huge business park built on a flood plain by pruprim, prudentials property division.
amazingly designed by fosters and partners, it is extremly pedestrian and public transport hostile, with paths that go nowhere,bus stops just randomly placed some distance from buildings, and buses running routes that double back on themselves. designed for the car being so close to the m4 junction 11and the a33. very green!
but not all is lost. pruprim have permission to build a new station on the reading to basingstoke line but this will still require the buses to ferry people around the park as its just that little bit too far away from most of the park.

not alot of it is occupied but still they build more and more.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures506.jpg
paths that end and a big frog
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures485.jpg
lime square local centre complete with empty offices and shops, and not in the centre of the park on the edge instead.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures489.jpg
more offices under construction
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures494.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures491.jpg
one of the 'needles'
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures505.jpg
longwater lake in the middle of the park
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures498.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures497.jpg
the site of the station
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures502.jpg
green parks best feature is the norman foster designed wind turbine
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures479.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures493.jpg

this building is the excitingly named 'reading international business park'
originally built for worldcom and from above is in the shape of their logo.
but about 9 months after completion worldcom went bust!
still at least its occupied with verizon the current residents.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures512.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures515.jpg



but heres the best thing in south reading
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures484.jpg

Anche Milano avrà la sua stazione TAV. La notizia apparsa tempo fa sui giornali lombardi. Sarà ubicata in Piazza della Repubblica e mediante una serie di raccordi e bivi sarà interconnessa alle linee esistenti e future.
Milano è l'incontro del COrridoio 5 conil Corridoio 24

but heres the best thing in south reading
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures484.jpg

Most definitely ;)

reading general: Kennet Island - High density housing surrounded by wasteland, didn't seem to make much sense when I visited about a month ago. Are there plans for further housing development in the area?

Kennet Island really does look awful and I don't think it will age well at all. The poo pump was more interesting to look at than that souless dump, mind you alot of the area around there is pretty souless.

there are more plans for cheap offices, hotels and housing billed as luxury on the other side of the a33 to kennet island, where the closed speedway stadium is. slums of the future i think.
if they dont sell, housing associations buy them up and will move in the wrong people for this isolated location. a similar thing happened in caversham on the amersham estate.
also plans for more housing by the green park station site.

i think the developments straddling the A33 are a big improvement on what went before! (a sewage works and a ramshackled dog track). There'll be a new speedway/greyhound, offices, housing, railway station etc

websites:
http://www.kennetisland.co.uk/
http://www.southsideuk.com/
http://www.greenparkvillage.co.uk/
http://www.greenpark.co.uk/
http://www.kennetvalleypark.com/
+
Reading City Gateway site (former HP offices)
Potential redevelopment of Brewery Site

Council approves car park housing development
By Sam Blackledge 8/1/2009

PLANS to build a controversial housing development on the site of a car park in Staines have been given the green light by Spelthorne Borough Council.

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/sbres/594.$plit/C_67_article_2042478_body_articleblock_0_bodyimage.png

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2042478_council_approves_car_park_housing_development_


All change in Staines again. The above scheme has fallen through as Taylor Wimpy went back to the council and said the could not proceed if they wanted the same amount of money for the car park. The council would not budge so Taylor have walked away. More amusingly the council has approved a small expansion of the Elmsleigh centre, to the South, with some bigger shops and 120 odd flats in a series of nine storey blocks. They don't look particularly thrilling. But the nimbys are out in protest sating they are too tall for the town. Admitedly the most of Staines two or three storeys. But several office blocks have crept up to the 5-6 storey range and more are planned to the east of the main shopping centre. The Main shopping centre is pretty tall with it's multi storey car park sitting on top of the shopping centre. On it's south side the shopping centre sits between the ring road a surface car park and the railway embankment. So there is absolutely no overshadowing of anyone's house.

You'd think it was the end of the world if you read the local paper.

Here are some excerpts:


A towering town centre block of flats could spring up in Staines – to the delight of traders and the exasperation of campaigners.

Proposals to expand the Elmsleigh Centre, build 126 flats in a nine-storey building and construct a new smaller bus station were set to be decided last night by councillors.

The plans were welcomed by Spelthorne Chamber of Commerce chairman Pauline Hedges who said the expansion was exactly what the town needed during the economic downturn.

She said: “This would be great news for Staines.

“In the current economic crisis I can’t see it happening over night but it is the right signal to send out, that the council and the developers are keen to see Staines get bigger, brighter and better.

“They are not being held back by any of the current economic gloom and I think this can only be to the town’s benefit.”

But campaigners are concerned the block of flats would dominate the town centre, block light and claim it is the latest in a string of inappropriate proposals to come before the council.

Staines Town Society chairman Claudette Curtis-Jenkins said : “The people of Staines don’t want towering sky scrapers in their High Street, we are a low building town.

“And next time it will be an even taller building, we will end up like Croydon.

“The bus station is smaller than it was and the council should be encouraging people to get on the bus and I can just imagine all the dust and pollution which will be created when work starts. It will be a nightmare.”

Other articles go on about it being out character, one paper compared it to the millenium dome as it would be a white elephant as no one would buy them.

i think the developments straddling the A33 are a big improvement on what went before! (a sewage works and a ramshackled dog track). There'll be a new speedway/greyhound, offices, housing, railway station etc

websites:
http://www.kennetisland.co.uk/
http://www.southsideuk.com/
http://www.greenparkvillage.co.uk/
http://www.greenpark.co.uk/
http://www.kennetvalleypark.com/
+
Reading City Gateway site (former HP offices)
Potential redevelopment of Brewery Site

dont get me wrong peterson. im all for redvelopment, just as long as its in the right way.
sadly i dont think this is. this is potential flood plain. plus i think offices should be in town centres not on the edge of town where they are currently accessable by car only.
but 140 metre skyscrapers in whitley? somebody find these developers a space in town please.
fantastic!

work to begin on green park station in the autumn.

from the reading chronicle "the office of rail regulaltion has approved a request by network rail to least land for the site to developer john laing. work on the prudential funded station is likely to start mid to late 2009 with completion due around spring 2010".


some more photos

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures603.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures602.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures609.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures607.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures611.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures610.jpg

Update photos much appreciated reading general. What is the first building?

I can't make my mind up on the blade building, some times I think it's good as it's not a typical throw up office block, but then other times I think it looks quite tacky.

Plans for the forecourt of Bracknell train station.

http://www.getbracknell.co.uk/news/s/2047374_train_station_revamp_on_track

^^Current station entrance is very dingy, this can only be an improvement. This work follows on from the recently completed footbridge (including lifts) over the tracks.

Update photos much appreciated reading general. What is the first building?


yep, sorry. i should have labelled it.
its skyline plaza in basingstoke a refit of the ibm building with a couple of floors added. it is now taller than the aa building i believe, thus giving it the ridiculous statistic basingstoke council love of tallest building betwen london and new york?!

i have the same problem with the blade dan-87. cant make up my mind about it neither. looks good from some views and cheap from others.
be nice if they uplit the point at nightime.

Yeah I've heard that statement loads of times as well but what about Castlemead Tower in Bristol? Or Capital Tower or whatever it's called in Cardiff? Why don't they qualify?

On the subject of the Blade, I've been very disappointed with it from the South and West. From one side the spire looks elegant and in keeping with the curved glass at the front but from the 'back' ie, from the Oracle or further afield, even from the M4 or Oxford Road or anywhere in those directions you see the unashamed blockyness of it and the grid of metal beams that makes up the spire which is just plonked on top for show/for telecommunications companies no doubt.

Tell you what else gets my goat too, while we're at it. It's being labelled consistently as being the tallest building in Reading. True but only a half truth. Great Western Tower, better known as the white stripy monstrosity on Station Hill is much, much bulkier on the skyline due to the fact that the final height of the 1960's structure is the roof height- the sum of the 18 (I think) stories. According to skyscrapernews.com- the final height of The Blade (Oh please- what is Reading? A Cinema audience?) is only a metre taller! A casual glance will reveal the fact that the top maybe quarter of this height is all that bloody spire! The tip being several metres of a single rod of steel or whatever! The actual roof height of this building is considerably shorter than the admittedly obselete Great Western Tower but still, it's a bit of a farce.

Credit where it's due though- I met a lad (he had a few years on me but still) from Sheffield the other day who'd been working for KABE is it or someone that installs the glass and he'd just finished the Blade. Incidentally the building nearly killed him when a massive sheet of glass fell across his arm and he lost 5 1/2 pints of blood. So, yeah! Good work mate.

Anyway, nice photos everyone. I'm not jealous of that plaza in Basingstoke although I am a bit definately.

PS- the Newtown Gas Towers are looking a bit deflated this week, can someone order a lot more gas please, our skyline is suffering!

something i found that may be of interest shows preferred location of tall buildings in reading town centre.

http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/servingyou/planning/local_development_framework/City_Centre_Framework_Update_2008_2.pdf

and this that has a render of the building to replace the hideous kings

point.http://sovereignhousing.info/group/pdfs/Development_Focus/Dev%20focus-Kingspoint%20READING.pdf

kings point now

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures430.jpg

re Kings Point:

reading general, the proposal you refer to is pretty dead. The developer went under I believe. However, there is a new developer interested in doing something similar:

http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=4133

re The Blade:

it does look a bit blocky from some directions - but in Reading anything other than an optimum cuboid is very welcome! And it is clearly shorter than the terrible Great Western tower (which will hopefully come down soon when the Sackville/Madejski development comes forward).

is the kings point building in the link i put on the 52m one on skyscrapercity peterson? i thought that it was a different design.

plus, do you know when the new designs for sackville's station hill are expected to be released?

kings point now


http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8408/dscn3187kgsptfced.jpg

yes, the King's Point face - I have to drive past that far too often. The sooner it comes down the better.

reading general - yes I think the one you posted is the old one, same as on skyscrapernews. I don't think the new developers have produced anything yet.

re station hill - I heard "this summer" for details of the new scheme, which I believe is to incorporate Friar's Walk and be better linked into the station redevelopment

good news
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/

and kings point news
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=2082

I agree the spire is a bit of a cheat, but at least now the gasometer has some company on the sykline when I come into Reading on the A4!

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1074.jpg

good news
http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/


Their website has now been updated with some renders of the new proposed scheme. Looks pretty good - although it sounds like they're still planning to put the BRT stop at the other end of the development from the station :nuts:

http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/images/new_view2.jpg


http://www.stationhillreading.co.uk/images/new_viewSW.jpg

looks to have altered a bit. I think they've made the main office building taller and the main residential building shorter. The open street link to Friar st looks really good. Hopefully will be approved this time...

This new Station Hill so badly needs to go through!

An update on the Bracknell and Wokingham College which is nearing external completion:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1066.jpg

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1067.jpg

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1069.jpg

Pics aren't working.

That is amazing for a town like reading =)

^^
Don't worry it won't get built. Apparently it would ruin the great city that is Reading and doesn't fit in among the great architecture master pieces and beautiful countryside. Seriously though if I hear anything along those lines with regards to this project I think I will shoot the person that mutters them I am sick of people holding up a great project like this.

Pics aren't working.

Thanks Dan-87, I was in Oxford for a few days and have only just been able to fix.

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1066.jpg

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1067.jpg

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1069.jpg

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/sheppard-robsons-heart-of-slough-takes-step-forward/5202111.article

rather nice office scheme for slough.

Has anyone been on the Ferris Wheel in Windsor??
On a really clear day you can see Canary Wharf and The City, plus the Wembley Arch all to the left of the castle. All from a field in sunny Berkshire. Got to go back on a clear evening soon to see what it's like with everything lit up.

Has anyone been on the Ferris Wheel in Windsor??
On a really clear day you can see Canary Wharf and The City, plus the Wembley Arch all to the left of the castle. All from a field in sunny Berkshire. Got to go back on a clear evening soon to see what it's like with everything lit up.

I've seen it the last few Summers but never got round to it, how much does it cost?
BTW does anyone have an opinion on the new Bracknell and Wokingham College?

Has anyone been on the Ferris Wheel in Windsor??
On a really clear day you can see Canary Wharf and The City, plus the Wembley Arch all to the left of the castle. All from a field in sunny Berkshire. Got to go back on a clear evening soon to see what it's like with everything lit up.
what about the other way and the reading skyline? can you see it?

Nah, not alot else to look at building wise. It costs £6.50 I think it was and you go round about 5 or 6 times and you stop at the top for a little bit aswell.

About the Bracknell College, I like it, definitely needed. They could have probably got a 5 year old to design a building which would have made an improvement though. Now they just need to sort the old 3M building out.

Nah, not alot else to look at building wise. It costs £6.50 I think it was and you go round about 5 or 6 times and you stop at the top for a little bit aswell.

About the Bracknell College, I like it, definitely needed. They could have probably got a 5 year old to design a building which would have made an improvement though. Now they just need to sort the old 3M building out.

The current owners of the 3M site (Comer Homes) were/are planning to either demolish the 3M Building and build flats, or in my opinion more likely to convert the existing building (given they specialise in conversions) to flats. I imagine that current conditions will see this at the very least delayed - along with a number of other schemes planned for Market Street.

no.1 on the list to sort out in bracknell. has it been on fire at some point?
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures277.jpg

no.1 on the list to sort out in bracknell. has it been on fire at some point?
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelvynspictures277.jpg

Its all the local 'yuufs' have got to do in Bracknell on a Friday night - go in to the building and start a bonfire, maybe break a couple of windows also.

I'd personaly rather see it demolished and replaced, rather than converted - although this was once considered by many as Bracknell's iconic building.

What happened to the reading borough council HQ by Bennets Associates?

Its all the local 'yuufs' have got to do in Bracknell on a Friday night - go in to the building and start a bonfire, maybe break a couple of windows also.

I'd personaly rather see it demolished and replaced, rather than converted - although this was once considered by many as Bracknell's iconic building.

Yeah the fire was started by youngsters, the same as all the other damage in the building. I remember a good few years ago plans for a complete re-build but that's not gonna happen now. It will cost less to just sort out what's already there, although nothing will probably happen for another 10 years like we've been promised a new town centre for what seems like a whole lifetime.

Yeah the fire was started by youngsters, the same as all the other damage in the building. I remember a good few years ago plans for a complete re-build but that's not gonna happen now. It will cost less to just sort out what's already there, although nothing will probably happen for another 10 years like we've been promised a new town centre for what seems like a whole lifetime.

And thats a real pity Dan-87 because the £700 million regeneration of Bracknell looked so exciting, going some way to rectifying the mistakes made after the war.

Radical redevelopment plans for Woking revealed

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2052368_radical_redevelopment_plans_for_woking_revealed (http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2052368_radical_redevelopment_plans_for_woking_revealed)

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/sbres/296.$plit/C_67_article_2052368_body_articleblock_0_bodyimage.jpg

June 11, 2009


A MASSIVE new development is being planned for the centre of Woking.

The town’s borough council has joined forces with property-development company Carisbrooke to change the look of the centre of Woking.

The area immediately outside the railway station, close to the Canopy, has been earmarked for extensive redevelopment, to introduce a gateway to the town.

It is thought the development will take around 10 years to complete but could include houses, shops, leisure facilities and a hotel.

The plans also include a proposal to directly link the railway station with the bus station.

The full development will run from Albion House to the east, Cawsey Way in the west, encompassing High Street to the south and Commercial Way to the north.

Carisbrooke will now be asking residents for their views on what they would like to see in the area.

Director Neil Young is leading the project, he said: “We already have a preliminary vision and aspirations for the site and during the coming months will be progressing detailed proposals, which we will then share with the wider community.”

For more on this story see next week's News and Mail.

^^^ Wow I just left Woking recently. It is most definitely one of the next boom places of the 21st century.

I agree. Woking has a forward thinking council that embraces tall buildings (http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1163).

I agree. Woking has a forward thinking council that embraces tall buildings (http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1163).

I passed the Victoria Way Tower site today, the hoardings were up (with Altura as the name of the project) and I could hear noise on site. I didn't have my camera with me, but I'll get a photo soon.

According to SkyscraperNews.com this is going to be a 25 storey office tower, although local news and the website are saying 18 story?

http://www.altura-woking.com

Thanks for that update; much appreciated! I edited my original post after realising I had the wrong name and that the website is indeed still up. Good to hear that work is happening on site.

Yes, the height was scaled back.

This was the original taller proposal:

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/5377VictoriaWay_pic2.jpg
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/picturedisplay.php?ref=5377&idi=Victoria+Way&self=nse&selfidi=5377VictoriaWay_pic2.jpg&no=2

And this is the current rendering:
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/5377VictoriaWay_pic1.jpg
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/picturedisplay.php?ref=5377&idi=Victoria+Way&self=nse&selfidi=5377VictoriaWay_pic1.jpg&no=1

Thanks for that update; much appreciated! I edited my original post after realising I had the wrong name and that the website is indeed still up. Good to hear that work is happening on site.

Yes, the height was scaled back.

Cheers jeremai, so we are down to 18 floors? Still, very impressive.
I'm in Woking tomorrow, I'll get a photo then.

I assume it's still 18, simply going by the web site. As you say, still impressive for Woking!

As promised, photos from the 'site'. Work hasn't commenced here, last time I passed there were road works and I saw the hoarding for the first time - I think I got a little excited! :)

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1317.jpg

Although no work going on currently, as can be seen here - it's a car park:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_1314.jpg

Thanks for the pictures! I hadn't realised the site was being used as a car park. I hope construction starts soon.

I wonder if this will affect the redevelopment plans? The people posting comments seem to think so.

Woking Borough Council debts highest in the county
By Beth Woodger
July 06, 2009

WOKING Borough Council has debts close to £100 million, higher than any other local authority in the county, it has been revealed.

At a meeting of the executive, councillors expressed concerns about levels of borrowing – most of which will take until 2077 to repay...

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2053718_woking_borough_council_debts_highest_in_the_county

McLaren expansion sparks council objection
Jul 16 2009
By Emma Heseltine

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/surreyherald/jul2009/0/1/shr-mclarenfactory-dynamic-image-1-292661918.jpg

Plans to extend the McLaren factory between Ottershaw and Woking could be stalled due to objections from Runnymede Council.

The company, which designs and builds its Formula One cars at the base in Chertsey Road, has applied to Woking Council for planning permission to build a new production centre for its road cars, with space for an extra 400 cars...

http://www.surreyherald.co.uk/surrey-news/news-surrey/2009/07/16/mclaren-expansion-sparks-council-objection-86289-24171543/

Heart of Slough gets go ahead
news index 14 July 2009

It’s all systems go as Slough Borough Council’s planning committee approved the master plan for the long awaiting Heart of Slough project, the £450m scheme to revitalise a 29-acre site in the centre of the town

http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/heart-slough-gets-go-ahead?p=1

Exciting news. I'll have to get down there and take some pictures before the work starts.

Exciting news. I'll have to get down there and take some pictures before the work starts.

Agreed, exciting indeed. They have already cleared some buildings in the area.

This now looks a lot more certain than the Bracknell redevelopment.

update on the blade in reading.
they have begun to clad the back/open part of the spire to clean it up a bit. quite why this wasn't done before i don't know.

I'll be in Reading later this week so will see the Blade for the first time. I'll try to get some photos if the weather's any good.

I'm new to the forum, so hi..! I'm Chris, nickname Weeby-Vuit (don't ask) I've been living in Reading for five year now and love watching it develope. Has anyone seen the plans for the new station and buildings? I might have some pics to add of that soon.

The Blade Reading today at 3pm

http://www.chrisposton.co.uk/Skyscrapercity/The_Blade_1.jpg

This is the Phase two plan of Chatham Place from there sales office, it is maked with the perspex structure,

http://www.chrisposton.co.uk/Skyscrapercity/Chatham_Place_Phase_2.jpg

This is a site on the corner of London st & London Road that i would like to see developed.

http://www.chrisposton.co.uk/Skyscrapercity/Reading_1.jpg

(SOrry about the pics being big, please can give he the resize link as [ SHOT ] (without the spaces isn't working))

Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting the pictures. I'm not aware of any way to resize pictures when posting them on the forum. If you create an account with Flickr you have the option to link to several different sizes of your pictures.

Welcome to the forum also Weeby-Vuit.

I use a program called IrfanView to resize my pictures if thats any help. :)

I didn't even know there was a phase II planned to Chatham Place! Do you know anything about the planned time frame?

Chatham Place phase II would see office buildings built up to and slightly over the IDR, which would be covered over to create a square. It would allow the town centre to effectively spill out westwards. The scheme appears to be very much on hold for the time being, hopefully not permanently. But I think the only thing that could bring it forward soon would be the council choosing it for their replacement offices. I hope they do because the scheme could be really beneficial for this part of town and inner-west Reading generally.

Reading station discussed more here:
http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=1383

Chatham Place Phase II is on hold, it covers the IDR from Oxford Road to the next Bridge for Chatham Place, Wickes and the Job Centre.

The reason it is on hold is because the company that have designed want to shutdown the two slip roads, meaning you would only be able to go north on the IDR upto the TGI Fridays Roundabout before doing a U-Turn to head back. The Council stopped to plans for Phase on the ground that the company that aren't from Reading have no idea of the Traffic issues and it would have affected there plans of turning the IDR into a one-way road heading in the other direction to the slip roads.

http://www.chrisposton.co.uk/Skyscrapercity/chatham_place_2.PNG

http://www.chrisposton.co.uk/Skyscrapercity/chatham_place_3.PNG


I have added the black lines to show the IDR, and in the second one marked with the two Green Squares is the affected slip road, the Area in red is the area that will be covered in.

station hill 2 in reading gets the go ahead from the council
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2057771_green_light_for_station_hill_plans
cabe still not happy with it. lets hope it doesn't get called in again.

Hey
New to the website. Some really interesting discussion on Reading and it's future developments.

Can some one give me some more detail on 120 King's Point/Road?

Does anyone know the current agent/owners of the property? Also does anyone know the past tenants of the property? Think it was something to do with the NHS

Hey
New to the website. Some really interesting discussion on Reading and it's future developments.

Can some one give me some more detail on 120 King's Point/Road?

Does anyone know the current agent/owners of the property? Also does anyone know the past tenants of the property? Think it was something to do with the NHS

Welcome to the site bezzano!

The only thing I had heard was for an earlier planning app that was for the redevelopment of the building and the provision of '108' dwellings.

I don't know if this is still the case.

i assume this plan is not happening then.
http://www.sovereign.org.uk/group/pdfs/Development_Focus/Dev%20focus-Kingspoint%20READING.pdf
although i'm glad the owner is making temporary use of the current eyesore with a car park and 'american style' carwash.

i assume this plan is not happening then.
http://www.sovereign.org.uk/group/pdfs/Development_Focus/Dev%20focus-Kingspoint%20READING.pdf
although i'm glad the owner is making temporary use of the current eyesore with a car park and 'american style' carwash.

info here:
http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=1106

and then:
http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=4133

In short, the developer behind the scheme you posted went bust. There has been speculation of a different developer taking on the site, but that was some months ago.

_______________________
In other news, it has been confirmed today that Station Hill will not be called in.
http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/reading/articles/2009/10/22/42362-government-keeps-out-of-station-hill-2/

cheers peterson. great news.
i see they have started geological drilling at the station already. testing whats down there is guess.

thought i'd post some photos of the almost finished one reading central. doesn't add much to the skyline, just a stubby square block from most angles, but looks okay at street level from one side.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv073.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv074.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv075.jpg

^^Helps with the density of the area as you come out of the station, but as you say doesn't add to the skyline one bit.

the r plus development on the right of the second pic will help with density as well.
http://www.rplusreading.co.uk/gallery.html
i was always hoping this would get built and become the new civic centre, but looks like its never going to happen now.
still what do i care about this when the towers of station hill are coming:)

Thanks for pointing out the R+ development, looks like lots still going on in Reading - is it going ahead soon?
I'm also hoping Station Hill will happen, I consider these my 'local' towers.

can't see r plus happening in the next three years unless the council do want it for a civic centre. there is also talk of them using chatham place phase 2 or just replacing the current civic centre with another. meanwhile station hill looks like its on. the new southern station concourse is to be finished first apparently, then they may start. there is some current debate about terminating buses when they close station approach to build the new concourse. locals are afraid they may have to walk 1/2 minutes futher to get the bus. but i don't see this holding development up.
there is always talk about a proper bus station but reading's buses don't work like smaller towns. some routes travel across town, others have a very quick turnaround or high frequency. no time to drive in and reverse out of bays. bus stations are better for long distance services rather than urban routes. also if the locals get their bus station they would probably loose the stops elsewhere in the town centre. some routes stop upto 4 times before they leave the town centre. they are spoiled and they don't even know it.

BLADE NEWS
now this is what i'm talking about. relocate from a business park to the town centre. probably will not happen due to the same old story of no parking but here's hoping.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2061166_will_pepsico_fill_the_blade

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/DSC_0113.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/DSC_0126.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/DSC_0121.jpg

I also read the PepsiCo rumour on getreading. I hope that comes to fruition. I would have thought workers, certainly younger ones, would prefer the central location with all that it offers over the out-of-town business park.

The Blade is a really prominent building and it would certainly enhance PepsiCo's profile in the town - didn't even know they were based in Reading personally.

used to be walkers,before that smiths crisps. they have been in arlington since the mid 90's i think. great if they move to town.

What a gorgeous building.

BLADE NEWS
now this is what i'm talking about. relocate from a business park to the town centre. probably will not happen due to the same old story of no parking but here's hoping.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2061166_will_pepsico_fill_the_blade

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/DSC_0113.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/DSC_0126.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/DSC_0121.jpg

These pictures really highlight what a class addition the Blade is to Readings skyline - and the best new 'tall' in the Thames Valley for some time. Did you take these reading general? Because if so, that first photo is absolutely stunning! :cheers:

i'd love to claim them, but they belong to a mate of mine who has just found out he has an eye for good photos. i will pass on that you were impressed.:)

here's his photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nibor2008/

Reading was featured on BBC London News tonight as a city (and so it should be!) that is one of the most likely to come out of recession quickly. They also covered the Blade both inside and out and had an interview with Edward Jones the Development Director of the Blade.:cheers:

Reading was featured on BBC London News tonight as a city (and so it should be!) that is one of the most likely to come out of recession quickly. They also covered the Blade both inside and out and had an interview with Edward Jones the Development Director of the Blade.:cheers:

great stuff. wish somebody would hurry up and move into the blade though. looks like pepsico are not keen now.

trying again. this time we're competing against milton keynes, croydon and the medway collective towns!
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2064215_new_reading_bid_for_city_status
i don't care how big reading gets it's always going to be a town for me, but it does mean more police and other amenities, so i'm all for it. just keep the city word down to a minimum.

The south east/London overspill area needs more cities apparently and Reading is the best candidate, we benefitted when it was Wales' turn.

I don't think there is a thread for Wokingham, but as it is in the area (some news on the town centre redevelopment) http://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2010/01/14/44142-time-to-create-clear-vision-of-towns-future/

station hill in reading a step closer
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2065282_station_hill_plan_a_step_nearer
still a disagreement about a transport interchange to do with the nearby station redevelopment. people are under the impression (including councillers) that this is part of the same project. an old bus station, out of use since the mid 90's is part of what is being demolished and local buses never used it anyhow.
lots of people in the town have an obsession with wanting a bus station, when what they don't understand is that the other towns with bus stations certainly don't have the amount of other town centre stops we do(e.g the bus to purley has 5 stops in town), some routes cross town and don't require a terminus and the buses that currently terminate outside the station don't get alot of waiting time. most routes are of a high frequency, reversing in and out of bays takes time. this town is spoiled and they don't no it.
also i'm guessing when a new southern station entrace is built the current one will be made redundant and demolished leaving a large space at station square. an new northern entrance provides an alternative terminus as well.

please hurry up and build me a 100+ tower mr madejski. i'm getting bored.
rant over

completely agree with you on the Bus Station argument. I think we're coping perfectly well without one. And I think the proposed set of stops around the station should work. There will be a few buses hanging around at stops for several minutes as they need to allow contingency in the timetable. But I don't see that as a major problem as long as there are enough stops.

I still think we're years from actually seeing a redeveloped Station Hill building completing. This latest "step" closer appears to be around the last remaining minor points surrounding the outline application. So we still need a full application to be submitted and approved before anything happens... Still, a step in the right direction.

i found out today that the arragement with the stops for the buses on the station square/blagrave street/friar street/station road that is to happen will only be a temporary layout, with most buses waiting their time somewhere in friar street, then calling at the station. when the new northern entrance is available most station bound buses from south of the river will terminate here, as one side of the vastern road dual carrigeway is to be closed and there is plenty of space here with the unbuilt flyover gap in the middle of the road.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv042.jpg

you mean buses from North of the river will terminate North of the station?

I thought the plan was to move railAir buses to the north of the station, as well as having a taxi rank there for people returning by train (save them having to battle with the crowds coming out of the pubs). Rail-replacement buses and things like that could also go to the north, all freeing up space around the south side for normal bus routes. Most buses coming from Caversham pass through town anyway, so no benefit sending them by the northern entrance.

I think there will be a bus lane added into Vastern Rd somewhere. Not sure they've yet finalised how the northern interchange will be laid out.

from what i can figure and have been told. all buses from caversham road will head down the new vastern road bus lane, which the southern side of vastern road will become, call at the northern entrance and continue through to town and beyond. vice versa on the way back. buses from the rest of town terminating at the station will either terminate somewhere on the south side, for example like the woodley buses now do at blagrave street, or call at the southern side then head for the northern side to terminate. calling at or near the southern side on their way out again. thames valley park and the railair buses will be on the northern side.
the vastern road bus lane will do away with the need of stanshawe road bus link and move the traffic along caversham road/idr a bit quicker.
none of this is finalised. from the 3 examples given on a poster in a shop opposite the station, this seems the most logical.

some information on readings station hil. including phases of building work.
http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/Committee_Services/Planning_Applications_Committee/2009-2010/100203/item18-09-01079StationHillS106.pdf

When are they going to start Station Hill?

When are they going to start Station Hill?

demolition begins next year. but there are still problems to sort i think. i'm sure i read that the southern station entrance must be built first.

I came in to Reading last Saturday on the train (approached from the South and then West) the Blade was the most prominent site on the syline (obviously) and still managed to peep through and above the other buildings as we came into the station. I know 'one reading central' dosen't add much to the skyline but pulling out of the station it was looking good and it really does add to the density from that viewpoint.
Also there were a few workers busily landscaping - is there a tenant lined up?

^^ yep. most of one reading central will be occupied by yell

^^ yep. most of one reading central will be occupied by yell

Cheers. I take it they are moving the Reading Head Office location?

some yell info here
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2065745_one_reading_central_a__symbol_of_the_future

and two floors of the blade have tenants
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2065623_iconic_blade_set_to_welcome_first_tenant

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/sbres/514.$plit/C_67_article_2065745_body_articleblock_0_bodyimage.jpg?12%2F02%2F2010%2012%3A47%3A31%3A019

That's rubbish.

^^ It's a lot better than some of the buildings in Reading...! and better than a crappy muddy car park...!^^

Key Property Swap At Heart Of Slough
Published on 15-02-2010 by Skyscrapernews.com


It's been a long time coming but despite the recession the plans for the regeneration of the centre of Slough, better known as the home of the popular comedy, The Office, are moving ahead.

To enable the scheme, Heart of Slough to proceed, ownership details with regards to the site had to be resolved between the council and property firm, Development Securities who own Compair House, an obsolete office building sited at a crucial point within the masterplan that they picked up for £7 million.

In order to secure Compair House, Slough borough council agreed to give development securities the rights to a long lease-hold for 2.5 acres of the Heart of Slough site. Development Securities also has the position as the main commercial partner in the venture with other involvement from English Partnerships.

If the two parties hadn't reached a deal, one alternative could have been a compulsory purchase order for the property, something that would be expensive and complicated for all involved.

The culmination of the transaction means that the scheme can now begin. The masterplan caters for 32,000 square metres of offices, 1600 residential units, a new hotel and improved transport infrastructure at the train station with a new bus station also thrown in.

Architects involved in the scheme include 3Dreid who have designed a new cultural building featuring a museum, library and public garden next to the historic St Ethelbert's Church that's been dubbed a "Learning Curve" by the PR robots.

Slough hopes that the project will be successful and allow the transformation of what is a dormitory town into something more like Reading thanks to the impetus a Crossrail link to central London will give.

good news for slough. i think the place started to go down hill when it lost its fast trains in the 90's on the creation of the full intercity network. will they get faster trains to london with crossrail? or will it be stoppers?

I've read various reports suggesting either one or the other or both - has the timetabling been set in stone yet?

I posted this photo of Windsor House in Slough back in January 2009:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_0638.jpg

Last week, externally complete:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_2353.jpg

I've read various reports suggesting either one or the other or both - has the timetabling been set in stone yet?

not that i know of. but i think some areas have been had. thinking their getting a faster route to london but may find the train stopping more.
from a reading point of view, i feel crossrail is useless to here, as nearly all fast trains stop at reading. fast to paddington then change from there. same on the way back.

http://www.reading-forum.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=267&mode=view

Reading: This is from the council's latest framework-type document, trying to guide development north of the station. The taller buildings further back is the approved Station Hill scheme.

http://www.reading.gov.uk/saf

beat me to it peterson:)
some of the images in the pdf are incredible

It looks great, but will it all go ahead, that is the big question...

It looks great, but will it all go ahead, that is the big question...

no. its just a rough guide anyhow. half of it would be nice.

no. its just a rough guide anyhow. half of it would be nice.

It would be good to see them do something with the old Sorting Office and that retail park that is a little out of place.

It would also be nice to see them start developing that side of the town, it seems a little forgotten sometimes..!

yes the retail park is a bit out of date, and a waste of prime land really. like the dfs etc. site down forbury road. this sort of stuff needs to be on the edge of town by a main road. its the type of places people only visit by car. you can tell that by how pedestrian hostile these areas are.

thought i would add some photos of the finished one reading central.
yes, its not that good but at least somebody is ready to move in with yell taking 8 of the 10 floors. i don't think its offensive to the eye though. and it also means business stays in town rather than moving to a soulless business park near a motorway where everybody has to drive to.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv389.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv390.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv391.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv394.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv396.jpg

rising sun pub opposite reopening back as a brakespears.:)
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv395.jpg

and a view that will change soon hopefully
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv397.jpg

As mentioned in the Skyscrapernews.com article I posted previously, the last barrier to the Heart of Slough project has been removed and preparation works/demolition has begun (unlike the Bracknell redevelopment :()

A very interesting design for the new bus station:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_2400.jpg

Note the white sheet of death in the background (where half the old bus station car park has already been demolished):

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_2399.jpg

And this shot gives a good view of Slough's new tallest currently still under construction:

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/img_2401.jpg

glad to see some local development is back on. shame i didn't get down there quick enough to get some photos of the old stuff. didn't think it would restart so soon.

It is a strange design, but I think that’s what some of these towns need. Especially if we are looking at the future of our towns..!

I can’t wait to see the full 100% finished plans for Reading Station. I have also noticed that the old HP building near M4 J11 has been flattened and the area cleared. Does anyone know what is going to happen with the site?

glad to see some local development is back on. shame i didn't get down there quick enough to get some photos of the old stuff. didn't think it would restart so soon.

Re the old stuff, you didn't miss that much. there was the bus station car park (half demolished) and the fully demolised Octagon Building which have these planned offices to stand next to the new Bus Station http://www.formationarchitects.co.uk/office/octagon-slough/

I was at the Reading Beer Festival last Friday (:cheers:) and from the other side of the railway tracks (near Kings Meadow) I noticed the cladding strip down the centre of One Reading Central - possibly a stairwell. I think I rather liked the pattern on it - I say think because I'm having difficulty remembering it now!
Does anyone have a photo to remind me?

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/super17fiesta/kelv505.jpg

Thank you for the photo reading general, I still like it!
Also, by the way, there is now a piling machine operating on the site of the new Octagon offices in Slough.

have to get down to slough and have a butchers.

station hill news
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2071339_station_hill_scheme_still_on_track

have to get down to slough and have a butchers.

station hill news
http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2071339_station_hill_scheme_still_on_track

^^Any news on a joint venture partner reading general?

^^ not yet. wonder who they have approached or who's approached them. if anybody!
everything appears silent from sackville.

Reading University housing/science park and wind turbine plans! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10537242

wokingham council have spent years sticking houses on the edge of reading.
they get the tax, reading provide amenities.
its abi=out time the boundaries changed

doubled

I visited Reading on tuesday and I have to say I was impressed at the scale of the place. The office core puts core cities to shame :s

I visited Reading on tuesday and I have to say I was impressed at the scale of the place. The office core puts core cities to shame :s

I've just seen a couple of your photos of the Blade in the Rate a Sraper section :cheers: If the Station Hill development goes ahead I don't think there will be many office cores in towns in the SE that can compete.

a bit quiet on the Station Hill front at the moment. Hopefully Mr Madejski is still on the case. As long as the redevelopment of the station itself survives the cuts then I think interest will follow and things could get moving. It will be a long project though.

There's now a public enquiry into the slip road closures needed for Chatham Place phase II. This scheme is on the back-most of burners anyway but losing that enquiry would kill it altogether. Hopefully it will be allowed and the council will relocate their offices to Chatham Place in return for a guarantee of completing the IDR decking. Not sure what the odds of all that coming together are!

Other news recently has seen an application to convert Kings Point (ugly run down 70's office building) into a budget hotel (Etap).

Sadly no real development going on at all just at the moment (railway bridge widening apart). The Bill's Produce Store being fitted out opposite St Mary's Church is the only vaguely interesting new thing going on! Hopefully other things will soon get going...

i'm looking forward to that shop opening peterson.
also agree with you on the council moving to chatham place. its a perfect off the peg civic building and square, will look better than the current jakey square.
i couldn't came less about the closure of the slip roads and how it affects the 'motorist'.

HEART OF SLOUGH: Library gets green light
12:55pm Thu 12th Aug 10:: written by Nick Mayo


The new library and cultural centre at the heart of the town's regeneration has been given the go-ahead.

Part of the Heart of Slough project, the proposals received planning permission subject to conditions at a meeting last week.

The approved design joins the new bus station, which is now under construction, as another iconic landmark in the £450million project to transform the centre of the town.

It will include a library with 2.5 kilometres of book shelves and extensive IT access, a 180 seat performance space, lifelong learning and teaching rooms, display areas, a cafe and rooms for council and community meetings

The new design will create an internal pedestrian link between the new bus station and Mackenzie Square.
It incorporates solar panels in the roof and high efficiency gas boilers to help meet the council's sustainability objectives.

Cllr James Swindlehurst, commissioner for neighbourhoods and renewal, said: "It is great to see the Heart of Slough taking shape and this approval is another important step forward in revitalising the town centre."

Building work is due to start by early 2012, with the new centre ready to use from 2013. The existing town centre library will continue to operate as normal until then.

http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/article-17359-heart-of-slough-library-gets-green-light/