Light at the end of the Cow Lane tunnel

Work on one of Reading’s longest standing road bottlenecks is due to start in the Autumn. After decades of queues caused by traffic lights at the single lane bridge at Cow Lane, Network Rail is to start work after this year’s Reading Festival. The new wider set up will, for the first time, allow double decker buses to use Cow Lane and service the industrial area of Portman Road. The traffic lights will be removed and there will be a shared cycle and pedestrian path through both Cow Lane

Editorial Board part 1: Bright signs for 2017 office market

The first meeting of Thames Valley Property’s Editorial Board gave property professionals from a range of backgrounds the chance to highlight the biggest concerns facing the area and discuss the prospects for the region’s future. Over the next few weeks we will report on the subjects under discussion at the event which was at Green Park on January 19. The debate involved: ​Matthew Battle, managing director, UK Property Forums Scott Witchalls, partner, Peter Brett Associates David Wright,

Plans being drawn up for 100,000 sq m industrial scheme

Plans for a massive warehouse scheme are being drawn up on land near Green Park in Reading. Almost 100,000 sq m of commercial space is being planned by Roxhill Developments on 30 hectares of land, largely to the south of Island Road. The site is next to the RE3 recycling centre and Green Park Village. Roxhill, through Barton Willmore, has requested a screening opinion from Reading Borough Council over the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment. The former quarry, was used as a landfill

Swindon on track for new era of success

More than 400 people turned up to support the launch of a drive to raise the profile of Swindon for business and investment. Electrification of the Great Western Mainline will put the town just 45 minutes from London and Swindon is keen to ramp up its profile to potential investors. Business and council leaders, along with community representatives turned out in force at the Audi showroom on the Delta Business Park for the launch of Switch Onto Swindon. Gavin Calthrop, head of place marketing

Thames Tower announces first letting to Austin Fraser

Thames Tower has announced its first letting to recruitment firm Austin Fraser. The 195, 000 sq ft building, comprehensively overhauled and extended by a joint venture between Landid and Brockton Capital, has let 14,040 sq ft on the 11th floor to the fast-growing recruitment business, currently in One Forbury Square (formerly One Reading Central). Austin Fraser will move more than 100 professionals to its new base on May 1. The firm, founded in Reading in 2007, has offices in Munich and

Bucks councils push for two unitary authorities

Councillors in Buckinghamshire met with secretary of state for local government Sajid Javid to press their case to replace the county’s five authorities with two. Although Buckinghamshire County Council had proposed a single unitary authority, the four districts, Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe members voted overwhelmingly in favour of a proposal for two unitaries at their own respective meetings on January 16. The proposal is for one council in the north of the county and

Bracknell prepares its roads for The Lexicon

Work starts on Monday (January 30) to improve roads in Bracknell to cope with the regenerated town centre. The works, all part of town centre’s £240m redevelopment, will take 16 weeks and should be complete around three months ahead of the September opening of The Lexicon. Works will involve : * Widening of  Market Street approach onto the roundabout to provide two lanes * New traffic lights at Bagshot Road and Market Street approaches to the roundabout * Widening of Bagshot Road and Church

Hillingdon to fight for RAF Northolt after call to build 20,000 homes

Hillingdon council has made clear its opposition to a suggestion to close RAF Northolt and build 20,000 homes. The question came up at a meeting of the full council on Thursday, January 19 when Cllr Edward Lavery, who is  chairman of north planning and major applications planning committees, asked if the leader of the council (Cllr Ray Puddifoot) would oppose the suggestion from neighbouring Ealing council to build homes on the site, which has been an airbase since 1915. Cllr Puddifoot said:

Councils team up to exploit Heathrow opportunities

Two councils have formed a partnership try to make the most of opportunities from Heathrow expansion. Slough and Spelthorne borough councils have formed a group called Working with Heathrow designed to maximise the employment, apprenticeship and investment opportunities created by the third runway. The councils say they will also work to minimize and mitigate negative impacts to residents and businesses. In a joint statement, the two council leaders; Cllr Sohail Munawar, leader Slough Borough

Reading Bridge House is sold again

Reading Bridge house has been sold for around £35 million, it’s third sale in four years. Vintage Capital (No.3) Limited, a Topland Group associated company, has bought the building from M&G Real Estate. Sol Zakay, chairman of Topland Group, said: "This is another good achievement for the group." Mark Kingston, managing director of Topland Group, said: "The building has many asset management opportunities where value can be added. “It is let off sensible rents and there is 15 per cent