First plots go on sale at UK's biggest self-build site

The first plots have gone on sale at what will become the biggest self-build development site in the UK. Graven Hill near Bicester in Oxfordshire is a site of 460 acres of former MoD land which was bought by Cherwell District Council in 2014. The council set up Graven Hill Village Development Company (GHVDC) and today (August 22) the first 10 plots for an eventual 1,900 self-built homes went on sale. People who live in the district have had six weeks to talk to sales staff about buying a plot

Comment: Council must act quickly for the sake of town

Until recent weeks most of the news about Slough had been of exciting developments now and in the future. But news of the suspension of chief executive Ruth Bagley and subsequent speculation around it, has cast an unwanted light on the town. In less than two weeks, Slough's new cultural heart, The Curve is due to open while work continues on the town's mass rapid transit system. Other road improvements such as to the Copthorne roundabout and widening of Windsor Road will accommodate the

Crossrail 'a leap forward for Slough'

Both house prices and business sentiment are showing the benefits of Crossrail in the west are peaking at Slough. The thoughts of professionals we asked were backed up by a report from the Nationwide. Crossrail’s affect on Slough was brought into focus by a report released by the Nationwide showing house prices had gone up 60 per cent since work began in 2010. The town looks like the biggest beneficiary of the new Elizabeth Line, both in terms of house prices and commercial benefits. Research

Brexit: "It wasn't the end of the world"

We asked professionals ranging from occupiers to developers in the Thames Valley their thoughts two months after the Brexit vote. Here is what they said. The Brexit vote may have added uncertainty to the property market but in the Thames Valley occupiers, agents and developers are largely optimistic. Although the brakes are still on the investment market since the surprise news on June 24, the area’s long-celebrated strengths of transport, connectivity and skills appear to have underpinned

Segro lets Heathrow unit to Kuehne + Nagel

Segro has announced its second major Heathrow letting within 10 days. Airport Property Partnership (APP), a joint venture between Segro and Aviva Investors, has signed up transportation and logistics firm, Kuehne + Nagel, to its North Feltham Trading Estate at Heathrow. The estate is three miles from the cargo terminal. Kuehne + Nagel has signed a 10-year lease on an 86,500 sq ft unit and will be using the facility to distribute food and drink products. Just nine days earlier Segro announced

126 flats for Lower Earley commercial site

Plans have been submitted for 126 flats on the site of two commercial buildings in Lower Earley. Equity Real Estate Developments, through its agent Savills plans two blocks of four storeys on the site of the currently empty Auto Trader House and Hartman House, part of the Cutbush industrial area. The plans, submitted to Wokingham Borough Council last week, show a mix of one, two and three bedroom homes, accessed from Danehill, with 145 parking spaces and 142 cycle spaces. The site, which

Controversial Lidl store recommended for approval

A controversial application for a new Lidl supermarket has been recommended for approval by West Berkshire Council - but neighbouring Reading wants £50,000 for road improvements. Lidl had applied for the new store on the A4 Bath Road in Calcot in December 2015, next door to an existing Aldi, but the application led to criticism from Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for strategic environment, planning and transport, Cllr Tony Page who called it a substandard application and said West

Clockwork Components buys Eynsham site

Land and buildings at Stanton Harcourt Road, Eynsham, Oxfordshire, have been acquired by upholstery and bedding parts supplier Clockwork Components. The 2.44-acre development site is earmarked for a new 47,000 sq ft headquarters warehouse building, doubling the firm’s current space at Network Point in Witney. Construction is planned to start this year. VSL & Partners, acted for the landlord, agreeing a sale price of £1,376,000. Clockwork Components finance director Chris Plews said: “We

Battle for Heathrow expansion intensifies

Heathrow airport has released results of a poll suggesting most of its neighbours favour expansion – while 11 London boroughs have written to the Prime Minister to oppose it. Heathrow’s poll by Populous in which more than 10,000 people across 12 council areas were interviewed. They were in Spelthorne, Brentford & Isleworth, Feltham & Heston, Windsor, Uxbridge & South Ruislip, Slough, Hayes & Harlington, Beaconsfield, Ealing North, Ealing Southall, Richmond Park and Twickenham. It showed 51 per

Overbridge Square conversion plans halted

Plans to convert a business park in Newbury into 107 apartments have been withdrawn. The proposals to convert the five office buildings at Overbridge Square Business Park under permitted development rules had been submitted to West Berkshire Council in June. But West Berkshire’s environmental health department has raised concerns and the applicant, who is stated as Overbridge Developments, has subsequently withdrawn the five separate applications which are for 59 one bed and 48 two bed