Five restaurants sign up for Westgate Oxford's Roof Garden

Five restaurant brands have signed up to open in The Roof Garden at the new Westgate Oxford centre when it opens in October 2017. Cinnamon Kitchen, The Breakfast Club, The Alchemist, Pizza Pilgrims and Polpo have all taken units in what is being called a ‘kitchen-garden eating and drinking destination’. The 800,000 sq ft centre, being developed by Westgate Oxford Alliance, a joint venture between Land securities and The Crown Estate, will be home to over 100 retailers and 25 restaurants and

Work due to start on Proton Partners cancer treatment centre

Work begins the new year on Proton Partners International’s £30 million cancer treatment centre at Thames Valley Science Park. The new centre, the third of its kind by the company to be underway by Proton Partners, is likely to be complete in late 2018 and will be able to treat 500 patients a year. Dr David Gillham, director of Thames Valley Science Park, said: “Proton Partners International is an innovative company, using cutting-edge technology to deliver the most up to date treatments for

Slough (almost) tops the house price league again

House prices in Slough rose by 19.6 per cent in the year to October, second only to another Elizabeth Line beneficiary, Basildon in Essex. The two towns illustrated the remarkable upsurge prompted by the arrival of the new line in 2019. Basildon which had a 19.9 per cent rise, is on the eastern spur of the project. Slough led a host of towns along the western route which have seen big increases in values. The UK House Price Index released by the ONS shows the average house price in Slough is

Heathrow starts work on third runway planning application

Heathrow airport is about to start work on preparing its planning application for the third runway. The airport says extensive engagement and consultation will be held with the its neighbours before the application is submitted in 2019. Wildlife and other environmental surveys will start early next year. Emma Gilthorpe, Heathrow’s expansion director, said: “Heathrow has its team in place, working to deliver the benefits of expansion in the most sustainable way. “During the detailed

Plans for 81 homes alongside proposed HS2 route

A development of 81 homes is proposed off Risborough Road in Stoke Mandeville – just yards from the proposed route of the HS2 line. A planning application in the name of Mr & Mrs Bartman, has gone into Aylebury Vale District Council for the homes of two to five bedrooms on the 6.66-hectare site, referred to as Thornbrook House and Roylands. Agent Savills in its planning statement, expects noise from HS2 to be mitigated by measures such as double glazing and ‘mechanical ventilation’ since the

Bloor Homes plans 1,000 at Sandleford Park, Newbury

Bloor Homes has applied to build 1,000 houses at Sandleford Park in Newbury, while its own application for 2,000 has yet to be decided. Sandleford Park has been the centre of a long running wrangle over proposals to build on the site and in November 2015, Bloor Homes applied to build 2,000 homes along with two, two-form-entry primary schools, 80-bed extra care housing. The 2,000 is the number the council stated in its supplementary planning document for the site in 2013. But to get 1,000 of

Work starts on 1,200 student rooms at University of Surrey

Work has begun on 1,200 student rooms for the University of Surrey. Its the second phase of its Manor Park student village in Guildford and mean a £75 million investment, bringing the number of units to more than 3,000. The first 500 rooms are expected to open by September 2018 with the remainder a year later. A third phase is being planned for delivery in 2019 which will bring the number of students accommodated to 4,000 – the total which the university has outline planning permission for.

University of Reading plans new life science building

The University of Reading has applied to demolish its engineering building and replace it with a five-storey health and life sciences centre. A café and exhibition space wil be incorporated into the new building along with the rehoused Cole Museum of Technology. There will be landscaping, reconfigured car park and new cycle parking. The applicatiuon to Reading Borough Council will also mean demolition of the Harborne building and the link which connects to the Philip Lyle building which will

Surrey Heath property portfolio increases

Just weeks after announcing its £86 million acquisition of the Mall Shopping Centre in Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) has bought House of Fraser and NatWest building in for £17.6m. The deal to buy 45 – 51 Park Street from M&G;, is part of the council’s strategy to regenerate the town. It was funded through local government borrowing. Cllr Moira Gibson, leader of the council, said: “This latest purchase is further evidence of the Council’s commitment to invest in Camberley, and

375 homes plan for Stoke Mandeville

Manor Oak Homes has submitted plans for up to 375 homes on land off Wendover Road, Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. The plans, submitted to Aylesbury Vale District Council, are for a mix of one-bedroom flats plus houses of two to five bedrooms on the 17.9 hectare site. In addition to the homes a proposed new footbridge will cross the London to Aylesbury line, replacing an existing surface crossing. Architect rg+p states in the planning application: “The development will provide sustainable