A huge new development in Reading town centre will have almost no car parking spaces for the 600 flats that could be created.
The Station Hill development company has been in charge of transforming the area around the train station since 2018.
So far, it has delivered around 600 flats in Friar Street through Ebb & Flow, new office space at One Station Hill, and space for restaurants, cafes and bars.
The next phase of the development relates to the land at the junction of Garrard Street and Greyfriars Road.
It would involve the demolition of Xafinity House, which is a six-storey office building that was used as the base of operations for the contractors who built the One Station Hill building.
In its place, the Station Hill development company wants to build two huge apartment blocks.
The first of these, called Plot AB, would be comprised of two interconnected blocks totalling 23 storeys, and Plot D would be a standalone 15-storey building.
The project, called Phase 3A, has been submitted in a planning application to Reading Borough Council.
Notably, the development would be ‘car-free ‘, meaning that no car parking spaces will be provided for the overwhelming majority of future residents.
Instead, a total of 337 new cycle spaces would be provided, with 228 residential spaces and eight commercial bike spaces at Plot AB, and 94 residential spaces and seven commercial bike spaces at Plot D.
The total of four car parking spaces that would be provided would be reserved for disabled blue badges only, with two spaces provided for each building created.
These would also come with electric vehicle charging provision.
Justifying the almost total lack of car parking spaces, a planning agent from DP9 wrote: “The development is designed as a car-free scheme, reflecting the highly sustainable town centre location immediately adjacent to Reading Station.
“No general resident parking is provided.
“This approach is consistent with the sustainable transport strategy for the wider Station Hill development.”
The lack of car parking is listed as a benefit as it would ‘reduce reliance on private vehicles’ and ‘encourage active and sustainable travel’.
Some members of the public have been scathing about the project on Facebook.
Valerie Bone said: “Just what we need! No shops, just flats!!!”
John McCormack said: “Just call Reading flatsville.”
Meanwhile, Paul Darvall questioned: “With all these flats where’s everybody gonna be working?”
Additionally, Sheila Belli said: “Reading town, there won’t be a town at least not one to shop in!”
The project does provide two commercial units for businesses to occupy.
The principle of development on the site was decided at a council planning applications committee meeting in January 2021.
However, this approval was given subject to detailed plans being submitted, which are contained in this planning application.
You can view the application by typing reference PL/26/0415 into the council’s planning portal.
