20 November 2024
Summary: Ground breaking ceremony marks the beginning of the regeneration of the long derelict office site.
Work is now underway on the regeneration of the long derelict office site in Reading town centre, which will create more than 200 private and affordable homes alongside a new riverside walk, café and pedestrian and cycle links.
MTVH has been working in partnership with Reading Borough Council, Homes England and Berkeley to unlock this complex brownfield site on the Thames riverside.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place with the key partners to celebrate this significant milestone in the project, to officially mark the commencement of works and celebrate the partnerships involved in bringing this project to life.
The site has been redundant since the phased departure of SSE began in 2019 and planning permission has been granted to create 209 new homes – a mix of one, to four bedroom apartments – spread across seven buildings designed to reflect the site’s former heritage as a power station and ensuring the site’s past is recognised in its next chapter. The new neighbourhood will include 30% affordable housing, to be delivered as rent-to-buy, providing a way into home ownership for those on low incomes within the borough through a discounted rent which encourages residents to save for a deposit.
A key part of the project will be the creation of the important north-south link between Christchurch Bridge and Vastern Road, connecting the river with Reading Station and the town centre.
Additional features will include increased access to the River Thames, increased public realm including enhancements to the riverbank and the provision of a new riverside cafe. Sustainability will be encouraged through the use of renewable energy sources, providing a dedicated walking and cycle route through the site, electric charging points, car club spaces and the promotion of cycling through the inclusion of secure cycle storage.
Guy Burnett, Executive Director, Development, Metropolitan Housing Trust comments: “We are delighted to be part of the regeneration of the long redundant Brownfield site at Vastern Road. Working alongside our partners, we’re helping to transform the area, delivering the much needed new, affordable homes, creating new community space, and improving connectivity for the whole neighbourhood.
Regeneration projects such as that at Vastern Road are helping to tackle the housing crisis, boost infrastructure and grow local neighbourhood economies to make them places where people have the chance to live well.”
Pauline Schaffer, Director of Infrastructure Funding for Homes England explains: “As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, our aim is to support public and private sector partners to unlock strategic housing sites where brownfield, infrastructure or land projects face delivery challenges. The former SSE office site is a prime example of this.
“We have worked closely with Berkeley, enabling them to transform this derelict office site in Reading Town Centre into 209 much-needed homes and provide more people with the opportunity to one day own their own home.”
Councillor Micky Leng, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Planning, said: “Residents will be aware that this development has been a long and sometimes complicated process. The original application was refused by our Planning Applications Committee, only for that decision to be overturned at appeal and then only finally being approved earlier this year.
“One of our priorities as a Council is to encourage developments to deliver on much-needed affordable housing, and this site will now include 63 rent to buy homes. It is a brownfield industrial site and the regeneration of the vacant SSE site seeks to address all the aims for a sustainable development, which ties in with Reading’s net-zero carbon ambition in the form of renewable energy source.
“There is a welcome nod towards the heritage of the old power station site and I welcome the efforts, through design, to preserve the history of what is a significant site for Reading. I’m particularly pleased that this delivers on the missing link between Christchurch Bridge, the Council’s pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Thames, and the major commuter hub at Reading Station.
“I do recognise that the construction phase will be of concern to local residents, but I know Berkeley homes are renowned for their professionalism and have a genuine commitment to considerate construction and will always take a collaborative approach with local residents. When the development is complete, I am sure residents will agree it will be a benefit for the community.”
Elkie Russell, Managing Director, Berkeley Homes Oxford & Chiltern comments: “We are excited to transform this redundant brownfield space into a landmark place to live in the heart of Reading, delivering low carbon private and affordable homes alongside new public spaces for everyone to enjoy. The project will provide improved connectivity, along with greater public access, creating a shorter walk to Reading and the Station for the wider community. This is brownfield regeneration at its best – we’re hugely proud to be working in partnership with Reading Borough Council, Homes England and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing to transform this part of the town centre.”