NEWS

The latest property stories coming out of the Thames Valley

06/21/2017

300 homes planned on Guildford's Green Belt

Plans for a development of 300 homes have been submitted for farmland at Normandy in Guildford. London-based developer Siteplan UK LLP has submitted proposals to Guildford Borough Council for the 300 properties (105 of them – ie 35 per cent - affordable) at Shortland Farm. The 11.9 hectare Green Belt site is mostly vacant but for some farm buildings in the centre which would be demolished. The site would be accessed from Guildford Road. Guildford has yet to submit its Draft Local Plan and the
06/20/2017

Deco Glaze leaves London for Oxfordshire

Coloured glass manufacturer Deco Glaze has left London for Thame as it seeks to expand and reduce costs at the same time. Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has signed up the firm, the largest bespoke colour glass producer in Britain, to take an 18, 515 sq ft warehouse and office unit on an industrial site at Dormer Road close to Thame town centre. Leo Silver, surveyor for LSH Oxford, said: "With increased business rates, higher rentals and more office space being redeveloped for residential
06/20/2017

The Lexicon signs up three new brands

The Lexicon at Bracknell is now more than three quarters let after deals were signed by three more retailers. Boots UK, Office and The Entertainer have all now taken units at the £240 million shopping and leisure centre which opens on September 7. Boots will open a 19,500 sq ft store over two floors, focusing heavily on beauty. There will also be a healthcare area. Footwear specialist Office is to open a 4,803 sq ft store on Braccan Walk, and toy retailer The Entertainer will have a 5,564 sq
06/20/2017

Seven industrial buildings planned at Basingstoke site

Plans are being prepared for up to 41,200 sq m of industrial space at Jays Close in Basingstoke. Planning consultancy Turley has sought a screening opinion from Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council on behalf of Clearbell and First Industrial, as to the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment on plans for B1c (light industrial), B2 (industrial) and B8 (storage & distribution) on 8.5 hectares at Viables Industrial Park. The development would involve demolition of two buildings used
06/20/2017

Plans approved for new Reading FC training dome

Plans have been approved for the new indoor training base for Reading FC at Forest School in Winnersh. The club has to close its current structure, known as ‘the dome’, to make way for the Royal Elm Park development. Work on that scheme may start next year. Now the club, which already has a partnership with the 1,200-student school, has had its replacement - a 2,924 sq m ‘cable dome’ made of steel and PVC on a 10,028 sq m area of the school playing field - approved by Wokingham Borough
06/19/2017

View from the Riverbank: Massive tasks for new housing minister

The Hon MP for Reading West, Alok Sharma was appointed as the new Housing Minister in Theresa May’s Government last week. But what does this mean for the Thames Valley? In the wake of the desperate tragedy at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington last week, Alok's interests and energies are inevitably directed onto more important issues than the future of this region. However, as the newly appointed Housing Minister, following in the footsteps of Gavin Barwell, the need for a strategy to help
06/19/2017

Oxford to consult on future vision

A public engagement starts later this year over a new vision for Oxford. Oxford City Council’s executive board will discuss its draft vision statement Oxford 2050: A vision for a successful and sustainable city for everyone, tomorrow (Tuesday, June 20). If agreed, local residents, businesses and universities will be asked for their contributions. The draft vision statement currently proposes a city with: * Full employment and economic success. * Substantially reduced inequality; healthier,
06/19/2017

Major plans published for regeneration of Swindon

A four-week consultation has begun over the regeneration of Swindon. The Wiltshire town is one of the fastest growing in the UK and now Swindon Borough Council has published a new draft Swindon Economic Strategy to set out a vision for the next 10 years. It is ranked as the UK’s seventh most investable town or city, and the economic strategy aims to grow the town’s economy from its current value of £6.6bn to £8.4bn by 2026. Swindon’s population is set to grow 25 per cent to 250,000 in the next

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Independent Property
NEWS & VIEWS

Reporting daily from the Thames Valley tvproperty.co.uk

News

300 homes planned on Guildford's Green Belt

Deco Glaze leaves London for Oxfordshire

The Lexicon signs up three new brands

Seven industrial buildings planned at Basingstoke site

Plans approved for new Reading FC training dome

View from the Riverbank: Massive tasks for new housing minister

Oxford to consult on future vision

Major plans published for regeneration of Swindon