What Reading could look like in 2030

Reading is a vastly changing town.

Huge housing developments are popping up all around the town centre, many unused offices are being converted into homes and more projects to build new, better offices are also being carried out.

What this means is that the town will look very different over the course of the next 10 years.

Developments like the 715 home Huntley Wharf in Kenavon Drive and the plans to transform Station Hill will create new communities around the town centre, with thousands of flats proposed.

We’ve looked at the work that’s going on around Reading, Berkshire, to come up with an idea of how it’s likely to change over the next decade.

Some things are definitely happening, some are in the pipeline, and some are simply possibilities.

Here’s how Reading could look in 2030.

The Thames Quarter

We’ve had a detailed look at this area before, but this part of town is one of the main development areas in Reading, and faces a massive increase in housing.

The first development is the huge Thames Quarter tower, which is opposite Reading Station.

This is a 325 “build-to-rent” home tower block that was given permission in 2017.

The development is springing up rapidly and changing on an almost daily basis.

It is set to open in 2021. 

In 2030, it is likely to be one of the more spectacular sights of the Reading landscape.

Vastern Road and Caversham Road

Just round the corner from Thames Quarter is Vastern Road and Caversham Road which have seen ambitious plans emerge over the past 18 months.

Three developers are proposing large housing plans for sites within a stone’s throw of each other and there are also plans for a smaller development at the former site of Drews the Ironmonger.

It’s important to point out none of these proposals has permission.

One is the sites is Reading Station Retail Park – home of TGI Fridays, Aldi and The Range.

Developer Aviva Investors wants to build between 750-950 new homes in a “primarily car free” development, as well as office space and shops.

Plans have yet to be submitted after a series of public exhibitions last year.

Next, to that site is the former Royal Mail depot, where developer Hermes has submitted a plan for 641 flats and 17 town houses,offices, a community centre, a health centre and shops.

Plans were submitted in April 2019 but have yet to be approved by Reading Borough Council.

Across the road is the smaller plan for Drews the Ironmonger.

It is proposed that the former store in Caversham Road is converted into 44 new homes.

This is also yet to be given permission.

Another development is also in the pipeline across Vastern Road at the former SSE site.

It is thought a plan for around 250 homes on that site is also imminent.

It’s quite likely all the plans will be permitted this year.

The Reading Station Retail Park plan depends on the business’s leases running out before any work can start.

The Royal Mail depot is empty so could theoretically be demolished soon after permission is given.

However, this is rarely the case with big developments and it is likely to be a few months.

If permission is given to all the developments, the next 10 years is likely to see the area become a building site.

The logistics of building two enormous developments right next to each other are probably quite tricky.

And another big development across the road is also likely to cause a few problems.

We have to hope Reading Borough Council and the developers come up with a plan that makes sure the area isn’t turned into a gridlocked traffic nightmare with months of closed roads and temporary traffic lights.

It’s likely the developments at Drews and SSE will be finished in the next 10 years.

The larger plans will either be complete or nearing completion.

Another area to consider is the former home of Carters Outdoors, which closed in December.

That site could also be redeveloped.

And whether more developers are attracted to other business units in the area will have wait to be seen.

Station Hill

This is a massive development right in the centre of Reading.

The former Friars Walk shopping centre and Telecoms House have now been demolished.

Permission is in place for 538 build-to-rent homes.

Plans have also been submitted for the second phase of the plan, which would see another 750 homes and a hotel built on the site of Garrard Street car park near Reading Station.

Work to start demolition of the car park is likely to start in the next few months, as well as building the first stage of the housing project.

Two new swimming pools

This entry might result in a hollow laugh from the campaigners fighting to save Arthur Hill Pool but in theory, Reading should have two new swimming pools.

The council has been heavily criticised for the management of the project.

Arthur Hill Pool and Reading Central Pool have been closed without any replacements even on the distant horizon.

Since the closure of Arthur Hill Pool in 2016, the council has now chosen a contractor to carry out the projects.

Surely, the new pools will be up and running in 10 years time.

They will be at Palmer Park in Wokingham Road and land at Rivermead Leisure Centre of Richfield Avenue.

The council’s plan is that the pool at Rivermead will have competition class diving facilities.

Green Park Train Station

In 10 years time, Reading will have at least one new train station in operation.

Plans have been approved for the new station at Green Park, which will give people in the south of the town a quick route into the centre without driving.

It will also allow football fans in West Berkshire to get to games at the Madejski Stadium by train.

It is likely to be open by the end of 2020 so will have actually been in operation for nearly 10 years come 2030.

Huntley Wharf

This is a huge development on the former homes of Toys R Us and Homebase in Kenavon Drive.

715 homes are planned and work is underway, to the point where the apartments are already being sold.

We spoke to Berkeley Homes recently about the project.

Barring any major hiccups, the development will be well-finished by 2030.

Friar Street/Market Place area

2030’s Friar Street could look very different to what you see today.

For starters, the previously mentioned Station Hill development will loom over the street.

How it will look next to Friar Street Sainsbury’s is anyone’s guess.

Whether the street will still be the town’s night-time drinking hotspot is also unknown, but it seems unlikely all the bars there now will be the same.

Although Yates’, despite its recent issues, remains prominent in the area.

What is likely to change is the old Bristol and West Arcade.

There is planning permission for it to become flats, offices and shops, as well as revamp of the old Coopers Arms pub in Market Place.

However, it was put up for sale in December and it could be the case that those plans change.

But you’d hope something will be done to the derelict shopping arcade over the course of the next decade.

There is also the matter of a big empty post office and the closure of Natwest in Market place to consider in the future.

Weldale Street area

This is currently a run down part of town off the IDR.

However, by 2030 it could be a very nice housing area as there are a number of plans which will change road.

Essentially, there’s one very big development in place of the old Iceland and Wickes stores, The Foundry Quarter, and one smaller development at the junction with North Street which will provide 41 affordable homes.

The Foundry Quarter will see 427 homes built.

Another development, where an old office will be converted into flats, contains an innovative green wall.

Demolition of the old shops is well underway, and the affordable housing plan was approved last week.

The area contains a small industrial estate opposite the housing area, and it could be the case another developer could swoop over the next 10 years., we’ll just have to wait and see.

Reading Prison

The saga over the prison has rolled on for years.

The Grade II listed building was put up for sale last year.

We understand that the bidding process has now finished.

We do know Reading Borough Council has put a bid in with the aim of converting it into an arts centre.

However, the Ministry of Justice, which owns the building, has repeatedly stated it will sell to the highest bidder.

The building is listed, so is likely to remain.

What it will become remains up in the air, but by 2030 we should know.

Cox and Wyman, Cardiff Road

The former printers in Cardiff Road is in the process of being torn down.

It will be replaced by a 96 home development which will transform the area.

The Madejski Stadium/Royal Elm Park

Reading FC could be a Champions League side in 10 years time.

What’s just as likely is they could’ve slid down the leagues and are playing in front of 7,000 or 8,000 at the stadium.

Whether the long-awaited stadium expansion ever take place is impossible to predict.

What’s equally hard to predict is what will happen over the Royal Elm Park development.

As it stands, planning permission is in place for a 600 homes, a conference centre and an ice rink beside the Madejski Stadium.

But since permission was given in April 2017, nothing has happened.

There are lengthy planning permissions in place, so work could theoretically start at any time.

There’s no indication that it will though.

If work does start the development should be finished in 10 years.

But not a brick has been laid so far.

Hosier Street/The Minster Quarter

This run down area between Hosier Street, Reading Police Station and The Hexagon is set for a major revamp.

Plans for a Premier Inn on the old Eva’s nightclub site have already been approved, although work has yet to start.

Plans for spectacular new tower blocks on top of, and next to, the Broad Street Mall were also approved just this week.

If the plans go ahead, three new areas will be created.

• The Hexagon Quarter
• Minster Square
• St Mary’s Butts/Oxford Road

The Hexagon quarter would be a “distinctive, dense and high-quality multi-functional urban quarter”.

It would see the rather dull Queens Walk transformed into a “greenway” with plants, seats and play features for children.

Minster Square is the oldest part of Reading, and could be changed into a public open space.

The plans also contain an improved market area and reduced traffic around St Mary’s Butts.

Seating could be added to the walls of St Mary’s Church/Reading Minster for people waiting for buses.

On the other side, the Broad Street Mall/Oxford Road area, the footpath could be widened to allow shops to have more seating.

None of this has been approved yet and there is a lot of work to be done, but if the question is “how could this area of Reading look in 2030?” the answer is “completely different”.

Central Club, London Street

By 2030, it’s likely the redevelopment of the derelict Central Club in London Street will have been carried out.

It’s probably extremely likely the iconic Black History mural attached to the side will be still there as the council has stressed to developers it must not be removed.

After Dark Nite Club, London Street

Another club in London Street is also currently under threat.

The legendary nightclub in Reading is still going, but is facing a bleak future.

An appeal is due next month over Reading Borough Council’s decision to remove its licence due to noise complaints.

Plans are also in place for it to be turned into flats, although previous attempts to do this have fallen flat.

It is hard to see it still going as a night club in 10 years, but the council has also hated the previous flats plans so it’s hard to tell.

Arthur Hill Swimming Pool, Kings Road

In 10 years time it’s likely the former pool building will still be there.

However, it’s very unlikely (although not entirely impossible, campaigners are still plugging away the council) that it’ll ever be a pool again.

There is permission to convert the pool into key worker housing and that’s what it’s likely to be come 2030.

What could the roads look like?

Lots more bus lanes.

The council has released its draft Local Transport Strategy, which proposes numerous public transport improvements.

It also proposes a third bridge over the River Thames.

However, it’s extremely unlikely that will get done by 2030.

Discussions date back to the 1920s, so getting it decided, funded, designed and built in 10 years is something of a stretch, given the historic disagreements over it.