Royal Borough buys up 86 acres at Cox Green

More open space is being made available in Maidenhead after the Royal Borough bought 86 acres of land. It plans to involve partners for a new masterplan for the fields and woodland at Thriftwood Farm, Cox Green which the authority bought for £725,000 at auction. The council’s intention is to increase its overall open space and playing fields. Cllr Simon Dudley, leader of the council, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to purchase this land which will be made available to our

200-home Hogwood Park plans resubmitted

Reading Football Club has resubmitted a request for a screening opinion ahead of plans to build 200 homes on its Hogwood Park training ground. In January we reported how the club submitted a request to find out if an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) was needed for the development when the club moves to its new training ground at Bearwood Park in Sindlesham. But the club has now dropped plans to include an indoor football pitch at Hogwood and increased the height of buildings from 2.5

Warehouse scheme approved despite noise concerns

Councillors have approved plans for a warehouse scheme at Oxford Business Park despite concerns over noise. Plumbing Pensions UK was give consent by the city council’s east area planning committee to demolish of the former Royal Mail sorting office and vehicle maintenance depot and building of the eight modern warehouses in five buildings totalling 122,000 sq ft. Councillors had concerns over noise affecting nearby residents but the developer plans to install a noise barrier and asked that

Plans for 100 flats in Slough approved

Plans for 100 flats in Stoke Road, Slough were approved by councillors on Wednesday (August 3). Two further conditions were included in the approval to build at 26-40 Stoke Road, currently a disused car showroom. The developer is Howsen Ltd. A viability review mechanism would be required and an entry system to the car park was requested which would be maintained long term by the developer. Officers will also speak informally to the developer to adjust the plans try to improve daylight reaching

Partner needed to help council replace Hexagon theatre

A ‘delivery partner’ is needed to work with Reading Borough Council on the long-running plan for a new theatre for the town. A preliminary marketing consultation began on Friday, July 29 to gauge market interest in delivering a new peforming arts venue which would serve Reading and the wider area. The proposed new theatre would need to be funded by the delivery partner, rather than the council, who would provide the land although no site has been selected. The council says the process will

Major mixed use scheme for Didcot A looks set for approval

Plans for a large mixed use scheme including 400 homes at Didcot A Power Station go before a second planning committee on Wednesday (August 10). The scheme was approved by Vale of White Horse District Council on July 27 but because the site is also in South Oxfordshire District Council’s (SODC) area, its planning committee must also approve the scheme before it can go ahead. The application includes 135,000 sq m of warehouse and industrial space plus 13,000 sq m of retail including a

School and homes plan faces hundreds of opponents

More than 600 people have now signed a petition to oppose a new independent school and 157 homes being built in Maidenhead. Claires Court Schools which has three sites across the town, plans to combine them into one 1,200-capacity school on the site of its Junior Boys School at Ridgeway in Cannon Lane, add the homes nearby and sell off the other two sites for smaller housing schemes. Organisers of the petition say the rules should not be ‘bent’ to allow the building on Green belt land and say

Report names Becton, Dickinson as possible tenant at 1030 Eskdale Road

A possible deal for 45,000 sq ft of offices at Winnersh Triangle has been reported by Costar News. The website reports medical technology specialist Becton, Dickinson is in talks for all but the top floor of recently completed 1030 Eskdale Road. The 60,000 sq ft building was completed early this year by park owners Patrizia and Wates Construction and was launched this summer. The building is the closest to the newly landscaped communal area known as The Green which is for varied park events,

Basingstoke scheme for 90 homes approved despite parking fears

A development of 90 homes at Basingstoke has been approved despite concerns over parking. Bovis Homes (Thames Valley) wants to build 62 houses and 28 flats on land at Priestly Road and Aldermaston Road. Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council’s development control committee had concerns over whether there was sufficient residents and visitor parking and, whether people using the nearby Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital hospital might be tempted to use the streets as a car park. A parking

The future of shopping centres

Fiona Brownfoot is retail partner at Hicks Baker in Reading. Choices Choices Choices………………the High Street; a shopping centre; a retail park; the internet (new or secondhand); delivered to home; delivered to a collection point; click and collect; go to a restaurant to eat or call Deliveroo. There are now so many choices and so many opportunities to part us from our disposable income. Where is it all heading and what are the current trends - and who will be the winners and losers? The simple