NEWS

The latest property stories coming out of the Thames Valley

06/12/2018

Anglo-Saxon remains delay Braywick Leisure Centre

Completion of the new Braywick Leisure Centre in Maidenhead will be delayed by three months following the discovery of significant Anglo-Saxon remains. An early archeological dig commissioned by the Royal Borough has unearthed remains of pit-houses (built partially underground) and pottery, dating back to between the fifth and 11th centuries. The two examples found at Braywick Park were likely to have been used as storage buildings. Fragments of pottery show signs of being used for cooking
06/12/2018

More youthful recruits join Systra

Two new recruits have joined the Thames Valley team at transport planners and engineers Systra. Olivia Hennessy has joined the development and infrastructure planning team while Adam Webb will work across both development and infrastructure planning and transport planning sectors. Ms Hennessy, originally from Surrey, joins the team from the University of Reading, where she studied geography. She will join Systra’s graduate training programme covering all aspects of the industry. Systra had
06/11/2018

View from the riverbank: Third time lucky for Station Hill?

And so we now have round three of the on-going saga which is Station Hill. The other two incarnations being the original Sackville Development scheme, consented in 2008 and revised and extended in 2011, followed by the Stanhope/Benson Elliot plans, consented in 2015. Reading is now having to engage with a different approach and a partnership between the US-based Lincoln Property Company and MGT Investment Management. Both of these companies bring a diverse set of skills and a geographical
06/11/2018

New life for former Target pub?

Redesigned plans for Reading’s shipping container urban market have been submitted which could lead to the re-opening of entrance to an underground pub, closed over 30 years ago. In January, Broad Street Mall asset managers Moorgarth secured planning permission for a ‘box-park’ of 16 units on South Court at the rear of the mall, close to Hosier Street. Now Moorgarth has submitted a new planning application in which the area, which would be known as The Yard, will have the same mass and
06/11/2018

Station Hill site is sold

The sale of Reading’s Station Hill to an Anglo-American joint venture has been announced. Lincoln MGT, a joint venture between US-based Lincoln Property Company and UK-based MGT Investment Management, has acquired the site from Sackville Developments Reading Ltd (SDRL), a joint venture between Stanhope and Benson Elliot. The price is believed to be between £60 and £70 million. The 6.5-acre site has planning permission for 930,000 sq ft of offices, 150,000 sq ft of retail and around 475
06/11/2018

Heathrow expansion: 'Great - now please get on with it'

‘Just do it’ was the resounding response from Thames Tap’s Voices of the Valley when we asked their thoughts on Heathrow expansion – and some had a little more to say. A mix of positivity and exasperation was evident when we asked our panel for their views on the long-awaited third runway which came a step closer when transport secretary Chris Grayling set out the Government’s final proposal for an Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) on June 5. A vote will take place in Parliament within
06/11/2018

'Flexible solution' for Camberley House of Fraser store

A statement issued by Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) has said its ownership of the Camberley House of Fraser store means it can help regenerate the town in the face of the shop's closure. SHBC bought The Square shopping centre (previously called The Mall) two years ago to regenerate it, so the freehold of the House of Fraser store is owned by the council. But the store is on the list of 31 destined to be closed if its creditors agree to its proposed rescue package. In a joint statement
06/08/2018

240 homes near Benson set for approval

Plans for 240 homes near Benson look set to be approved on Wednesday (June 13). Officers at South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) have recommended approval for the development by David Wilson Homes, submitted by planners, Turley, on 12.86 hectares of agricultural land to the north east of Benson, close to Watlington Road. They will range from one bedroom to four and 40 per cent will be affordable. The precise mix is likely to be part of a reserved matters application. The 30 responses

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236

Independent Property
NEWS & VIEWS

Reporting daily from the Thames Valley tvproperty.co.uk

News

Anglo-Saxon remains delay Braywick Leisure Centre

More youthful recruits join Systra

View from the riverbank: Third time lucky for Station Hill?

New life for former Target pub?

Station Hill site is sold

Heathrow expansion: 'Great - now please get on with it'

'Flexible solution' for Camberley House of Fraser store

240 homes near Benson set for approval