Less commuting tops workers' wish lists

Length of the daily commute emerged as a key concern of workers when Savills held its Spotlight on Reading event. Property professionals, many getting their first chance to see inside the new 104,000 sq ft R+ development, heard the results of research among both occupiers in Reading and their staff. Savills Spotlight on Reading survey, revealed by commercial research analyst Steve Lang showed optimism among employers when they were polled after the EU referendum. Forty-four per cent planned

'We want to take Reading to the next stage'

The Royal Elm Park development will help take Reading to the next stage in its development, property professionals were told at a special event in the town’s newest offices. Nigel Howe, chief executive of Reading FC spoke at the Spotlight on Reading event organised by Savills in conjunction with The Business Magazine at M&G;’s new R+ scheme. Mr Howe talked guests through more than 20 years of involvement at the club he joined to develop the Madejski Stadium. Sir John Madejski had rung him to

CityFibre to bring superfast broadband to Bracknell

CityFibre is to bring its superfast broadband to Bracknell. Following its first Thames Valley launch in Reading on September 14, CityFibre which along with B2B IT supplier Btl, is rolling out its speeds of up to 1GB/s to 100 UK towns and cities, will hold a launch event in Bracknell in November. The superfast pure fibre service bypasses BT’s copper cables which have slowed much of the UK’s ability to grow its bandwidth amid the burgeoning requirements for data. CityFibre is encouraging

Overbridge Square plan for 107 flats is resubmitted

A new application has been received to turn five commercial buildings in Newbury into flats – but the developer faces a number of hurdles. Separate applications – under Permitted Development rules - were made in July by Overbridge Developments to turn five office buildings at Overbridge Square, Hambridge Lane, Newbury into 59 one bedroom and 48 two bedroom flats. The scheme was then withdrawn but has now been resubmitted. However the highways department of West Berkshire Council (WBC) has

Slough councillor protests over pay to stay

The Government’s ‘pay to stay’ proposals where council housing tenants pay higher rent if they earn more, have prompted a complaint from Slough Borough Council. The proposals will require tenants with a combined household income of more than £31,000 to pay more in rent than other tenants in the same type of property. Extra money raised would go direct to the Government. But Cllr Zaffar Ajaib, commissioner for housing and urban renewal at Slough, has written to the Government to ask for a

Rydon Homes plans 125 units at Spencers Wood

Rydon Homes is planning up to 125 new houses at Spencers Wood. The developer has asked Wokingham Borough Council whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required to build the homes along with Suitable Accessible Natural Green Space (SANGS) and associated infrastructure, on 24 acres of land at Lamb’s Lane towards the south end of the village. Adjacent land off Beech Hill Road already has permission for 120 homes. A mix of housing is proposed. The screening opinion request states:

There's many a slip...

Nigel Hewitson is planning partner at BrookStreet des Roches. The news that proposals for the redevelopment of Shepherds Bush Market have been abandoned is a salutary reminder that there are numerous hurdles such schemes need to overcome, any one of which, even the least expected, can trip the developer up and put a premature end to the project. On the face of it, the redevelopment proposals for the market had everything going for them: the proposed developer had funding behind it; the local

What next for housing in Oxfordshire?

David Murray-Cox, Associate Director at planning consultants' Turley's Reading office, looks at how the share of 15,000 new houses across four Oxfordshire councils has run into problems. It has long been known that Oxford City Council is unable to find sites to deliver all of the housing required in the area. As a result, the Oxfordshire Growth Board (OGB) tasked officers within the Oxfordshire authorities (Oxford City, Vale of White Horse, South Oxfordshire, West Oxfordshire and Cherwell)

Maidenhead to open little known waterways

Guests at the October First Tuesday Club – sponsored by WYG - learned of the radical plans to redevelop the centre of Maidenhead. Cllr David Evans from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead updated delegates, not only on the development plans and joint venture proposals, but explained how the town is seeking to make the most of one of its rarely known assets - a series of waterways. A disused system for flood alleviation throughout the town centre is to be brought back to life to create

Silverstone Park shows off new image

Silverstone Park has overhauled its brand after three years of development by asset managers MEPC. A new brand book, opportunities brochure and website have been developed to illustrate how much the park has developed. MEPC took over the management of the park in September 2013 and has carried out a series of improvements. They include: * Extensive upgrading the entrance, landscape and buildings. * An upgrade of utilities of almost £13 million. * New networking opportunities and a sports