Council agrees to buy share in Station Hill

Councillors have agreed to buy a stake in the land at Station Hill, Reading after losing patience with wrangles over rights of light. In September Reading Borough Council’s policy committee threatened to invoke rarely-used powers which allow the authority to acquire a stake in the land so that it can overrule easements and other rights where they could frustrate progress of a development. Sackville Developments, a joint venture between Benson Elliot and Stanhope, have been in protracted

EY predicts Reading will be fastest growing city

Reading is expected to be the UK’s fastest growing city outside of London over the next three years according to EY’s UK Region and City economic forecast 2016. The report forecasts a growth in Reading’s GVA (productivity) of 2.5 per cent to 2019. EY estimates employment in Reading will grow at a rate of 0.9 per cent between 2017 and 2019 in the key sectors, the fastest of any UK city, creating potentially 3,000 new jobs. Nigel Horton-Baker, executive director for Reading UK CIC, said:

Sue Boor becomes head of marketing at The Lexicon

Cushman & Wakefield has appointed Sue Boor as head of marketing for The Lexicon Bracknell. She was previously head of marketing for Manchester Arndale which is jointly owned by M&G; Real Estate and Intu Properties, winning several national and international marketing awards. In a career spanning three decades in the industry she also launched the first regional shopping centre in the South West - The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, jointly owned by M&G; Real Estate, Intu Properties and JT Baylis. The

Creativity needed for mixed use developments

Sadiq Khan’s deputy mayor for planning Jules Pipe told investors in Slough he wanted communities rather than dormitories inside and outside London. After his speech at the Slough Property & Investor Day, organised by UK Property Forums and Slough Borough Council, Mr Pipe joined a panel discussion and said he wanted better mixed use developments. He told delegates: “We are trying to be far more creative and really stretch the ideas of what one can do with mixed use. Mixed use not just being a

'We want to work with Slough' says London's mayoral deputy

London wants to co-operate with Slough to help both places grow and succeed. Jules Pipe CBE, deputy mayor of London for planning joined councillors, officers and developers and investors at the first Slough Property and Investor Day on December 1, organised by UK Property Forums and Slough Borough Council. He told delegates the mayor’s office is looking outside its boundaries to help achieve its growth, particularly in housing targets. Speaking at the event at The Curve, Mr Pipe said: “We (in

Trinity Mirror boss explains tackling digital disruption

Three tips for businesses who face disruption from digital technology were delivered by the boss of the UK’s largest newspaper group. Simon Fox, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, was guest speaker at the Reading Economic Forum on November 24 where, two years ago, the publisher took the radical decision to close all its print titles in favour of a digital-only service, getreading. Reading was the first town or city chosen for such an experiment and Mr Fox reported: “We are very proud now that

Speakers talk up Reading's cultural quarter

The successful art exhibition at Reading prison could signal the emergence of a cultural quarter for the town which can help attract business. Results of a survey in which businesses were revealed to believe that the arts would help attract more trade in the town were revealed at the Reading Economic Forum on November 24. Speakers at the event explained the success of the Reading Prison art exhibition with its Oscar Wilde significance, the re-opening of the Abbey Ruins in 2018, the possibility

First tenants for The White Building

Reading’s 93,000 sq ft White Building in King’s Road, has signed up its first occupiers. US and Canadian technology company Herjavec Group and Danish pharmaceuticals firm Pharmacosmos have taken 7,800 sq ft and 5, 500 sq ft respectively in the joint venture refurbishment by Boultbee Brooks Real Estate and CBRE Global Investors, due to complete in January. The JV is advised by Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), RARE and Savills. The building has a contemporary exposed services design, a communal

Jacksons plan recommended for approval

Reading’s most sensitive development site has come back to the council’s planning applications committee. Capita Hall’s application for the former Jacksons department store has been recommended for approval. The developer wants to convert the ground floor and basement into three restaurant units with 18 flats above and 15 more in a separate building at the rear. The applicant wants to maintain the famous frontage of the shop and add three new windows. Pizza chain Franco Manca, burger

Congestion charge plan for Oxford

Congestion charging and a workplace parking levy are to be considered in Oxford. Just days after Slough Borough Council’s cabinet approved a report into radical car restraining measures, Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to carry out a study to look at how it can fund car reducing measures in Oxford. The council says money raised can go towards transport improvements. Workplace Parking Levys (WPL) can be introduced, subject to consultation with employers and employees and must then be