The extraordinary transformation proposed around two of Reading’s busiest roads

The area around Reading’s IDR and Vastern Road is not known as a beauty spot.

It’s unlikely architects or historians will be rushing to preserve what is known as the “TGIs roundabout” or the buildings housing the various shops around the area.

In fact, Caversham Road Fire Station is one of only a few buildings of any note along that stretch of road.

What is noticeable, is how few homes there are.

Terraced houses line one side of Vastern Road between the offices at Great Brighams Mead and Thames Water and there’s a handful of flats above the shops in Caversham Road.

But that is very much set to change over the coming years.

There are currently four huge housing projects which, if permitted, will change the whole area completely.

There is also another development that is springing up rapidly which has already changed the town’s the skyline.

It is not just thousands of homes which are planned, but offices and community areas too.

BerkshireLive takes a closer look at how the area could change.

Reading Metropolitan, Caversham Road

Where: Former Royal Mail depot, Caversham Road

Number of homes: 641 flats and 17 town houses

Parking spaces: 94

Tallest tower: 25 storeys

Status: Plans submitted

Plans have been submitted by Hermes which, if permitted will see the empty former Royal Mail Depot demolished and replaced with 641 flats and 17 town houses.

These would be split into 79 studio, 227 one-bedroom and 335 three-bed apartments as well as the 17 three-bed houses.

The plans also contain offices, a community centre, a health centre and shops.

The plans also contain a number of areas, including “Station Square”, described as a “civic space providing a gateway entrance into Reading Station from the north”.

There is also a tree-lined route called “The Avenue”.

Parking spaces?

A feature of all the developments is how few car parking spaces are being provided, with just 94 in the application, as well as eight disabled spaces.

Reading Borough Council has repeatedly stated people who end up living in these developments around the town will use public transport or walk to their destinations.

There are 636 cycle spaces planned.

The plans were submitted in April and it is likely the council’s planning committee will view them before the end of the year.

The Royal Mail depot closed in 2009, with the site being used by Network Rail for it major projects in the town.

 

The Brewery, Caversham Road

Where: Drews the Ironmongers, Caversham Road

Number of homes: 44 flats

Parking spaces: Not known

Tallest tower: Not known 

Status: On the drawing board

A far smaller plan has been submitted across the road from the depot.

Drews the Ironmongers was a long-running Reading business which closed at the end of 2018.

The building remains on Caversham Road, and plans have emerged from S2 developments to convert it into homes.

 

Plans have yet to be submitted, but it is likely they will be for 44 homes.

Currently, it is thought the plans will be for 18 one-bedroom, 23 two bedroom and three three-bedroom flats

It is not yet known when plans will be submitted.

Reading Retail Shopping Park

Where: Reading Station Shopping Park, Vastern Road

Number of homes: Between 750 – 950

Parking spaces: Not known

Tallest tower: Not known 

Status: On the drawing board

This could potentially be the biggest development of all.

Plans went on display earlier this week for huge blocks of flats on the Reading Station Shopping Park, off Caversham Road and Vastern Road.

Currently the home of TGI Fridays, Aldi and Mothercare, if the site is redeveloped it could see as many as 950 homes built on the retail park.

The development would sit beside the Reading Metropolitan site.

The plans from Aviva Investors are “primarily car free” and would see more towers containing flats built.

An outline application is due before the end of the year, with exact details of numbers of flats and what else might be there due next year.

The development could feature offices, shops, a gym and even a hotel.

If planning permission is gained, work could start in 2021, although the developer will have to wait for the various businesses on the site’s leases to end.

The former SSE site, Vastern Road

Where: Former SSE offices, Vastern Road

Number of homes: Between 185 – 240

Parking spaces: Not known

Tallest tower: 11 storeys

Status: On the drawing board

Plans emerged in January for the disused site opposite the retail park.

Berkeley Homes proposed a development of around 240 homes on the former home of SSE.

However, the number of flats now proposed is lower at 185.

The tallest of the proposed blocks would be 11 storeys.

The plans also include a cafe by the River Thames.

BerkshireLive understands a full application for the site is imminent.

The Thames Quarter

 

Where: Former BMW garage, Kings Meadow Road

Number of homes: 335 flats

Parking spaces: 49 car park spaces

Tallest tower: 23 storeys

Status: Building in progress

This development has planning permission and is springing up incredibly quickly.

Permission was originally given for 315 homes at the site off Kings Meadow Road.

However, the developer Lochailort Reading won permission for an extra storey on one of the smaller towers on the site.

As part of the planning permission, the developer has to build 101 affordable homes at other sites in Reading.

The building, which is Reading’s tallest residential block and will have a 23-storey tower, is the town’s first build-to-rent development.

However, those apartments cannot be let until the affordable housing units are provided.

What will all these homes mean for traffic?

If the proposed developments are permitted, and combined with the Thames Quarter, more than 2,100 new homes could be added to the area.

Although the developments are all likely to have a comparatively low amount of cars compared to people living there, they are in one of Reading’s busiest areas.

The council is in the process of developing its latest local transport plan and it remains to be seen what mitigation will be in place.

More cars will be added to what are already clogged and polluted areas of town.

With the problems it faces over its Thames Bridge plan, it is likely the authority will have to come up with some sort of traffic improvements for the new developments, as well as reducing traffic in that area generally.