Plans for new park & ride at Thames Valley Park

Plans have been submitted for a new £3.6 million park and ride at Thames Valley Park (TVP). Wokingham Borough Council has submitted the plans which show 277 car park spaces, 12 cycle stands and a sheltered bus stop, to be served by the TVP Shuttle subject to agreement with Thames Valley Park. The land is to the west (the Reading side) of the roundabout at the park’s entrance off the A3290 and is next to the Waterside Centre.  Cllr Malcolm Richards, executive member for highways and transport:

Two hotels planned for Slough town centre

Councillors will decide on Monday (June 27) if two new hotels providing a total 236 rooms should be built in the centre of Slough. The proposals on the Old Library site, which also include a ground floor restaurant and bar and leasing part of the Burlington car park for guests, will be discussed at Slough Borough Council’s cabinet meeting. The site has long been earmarked for regeneration and the current proposals follow the council buying back the site in 2015. The hotels would be in one

Winnersh Triangle shows off new developments

Developments at Winnersh Triangle went on display to the property world last week when agents were invited to inspect two buildings and the park’s new communal space. Patrizia showed off its speculative 61,780 sq ft Grade A office building at 1030 Eskdale Road and its redevelopment and expansion of 220 Wharfedale Road (now 52,744 sq ft) while many of the park’s  5,000 workers flocked to ‘The Green’ for a special lunch party to mark the new landscaped space’s first major event on Thursday, June

Slough cycle route plan to link with Crossrail

Consultation has begun over plans for a cycle path along the A4 between Slough and Taplow to link up with Crossrail. Slough Borough Council wants to improve access for cyclists along Bath Road to Taplow railway station, via shopping centres, housing estates and business areas, as well as increase links to visitor attractions such as Cliveden. The council has been working with neighbouring Buckinghamshire County Council on the proposals ahead of Crossrail’s arrival in 2019. The route will join

Plan for Reading Prison to host major art exhibition

Plans have been drawn up to hold a two-month art exhibition at the former Reading Prison this Autumn as part of the town’s Year of Culture. London-based arts charity Artangel has applied for planning permission to use the ground, first and second floors of the Victorian building for an exhibition of works by leading international writers and artists. The exhibition which will also include a series of readings, screenings and performances, is planned to run from September 2 to October 30, 2016

Reading's MRT goes on show

Members of the public were given their first chance to see how segregated bus lanes are going to help speed workers between some of the fastest growing parts of Reading. Reading Borough Council transport planners, Chris Maddocks and Stephen Wise explained how the first phase of work on the new mass rapid transit (MRT) system will speed up the times for people travelling between Mereoak park and ride and Green Park and the Madejski Stadium via the A33, particularly at rush hour. Funding from

Heidi Bakery searches for Thames Valley sites

Windsor-based Heidi Bakery has targeted 11 locations throughout the western Home Counties for new stores. Relaunched a year ago as a cafe/coffee shop chain specialising in quality bakery, Heidi has appointed Fawcett Mead to acquire high street sites of at least 900 sq ft ground floor A3 space plus ancillary areas. The bakery will consider other sites which have potential for planning consent and alcohol licence. Other features of interest include external seating, corner unit, evening alcohol

Wycombe plans for 10,000 new homes

A draft Local Plan which details where 10,000 new homes should be built across Wycombe District Council goes out to consultation on Monday, June 27. The draft Local Plan accounting for developments up to 2033 allow for 5,200 more homes in High Wycombe, 2,600 in Princes Risborough, 1,100 across Stokenchurch, Lane End, Naphill and Longwick, 750 at Bourne End and Wooburn and 300 for Marlow. New employment sites and new roads will also be created. Wycombe needs 15,000 homes by 2033 but the

Westcott Venture Park seeks pre-let for new warehouse

Westcott Venture Park has won planning consent to develop a major new warehouse and is looking for a pre-let agreement before it starts work. Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust will invest an estimated £1.75 million in the headquarters building once a pre-let has been agreed. The permission from Aylesbury Vale District Council, is for a 25,000 sq ft Grade A warehouse, in a prominent 1.5-acre spot on the 650-acre park between Aylesbury and Bicester. Nigel MacKenzie, project manager at

Woking school and leisure centre moves closer

A new secondary school and sports centre for Woking has moved closer after borough councillors agreed a £13.5 million loan. The controversial 22-acre Hoe Valley School and leisure centre won planning permission in December and now the loan which will fund the sports centre, has been approved at a special meeting of the full council on Thursday, June 16. Funding for the school from the Education Funding Authority still depends on ministerial approval but if the plans are approved the whole