The demolition of the former Berkshire County Council offices has received support from councillors in Reading, but concerns remain over traffic safety.
The Shire Hall office complex at Shinfield Park served as the Berkshire County Council headquarters from 1981 until 1998, when local government reforms divided Berkshire into six unitary authorities.
It is a large, brutalist building just off the Shinfield Arms roundabout.
Development company Wrenbridge has applied to demolish Shire Hall and replace it with five warehouse-style business and industrial buildings.
Although the office complex is in the Reading urban area, it is situated in Shinfield, which falls within Wokingham Borough Council’s jurisdiction.
However, due to its proximity, the project was discussed at a Reading Borough Council planning applications committee meeting.
Introducing it, councillor Richard Davies, vice-chair of the committee said: “This is Shinfield Park the former site of the Berkshire County Council headquarters up till ‘Liberation Day’ as we call it in 1998 when Reading became a unitary authority.”
Joe Lovelock (Labour, Norcot) said: “I spent many a happy hour over at this building when we were negotiating the new unitaries with the county council and all the legal stuff that went with that.
“I know it well as a building, I have to say, the replacement isn’t going to be a thing of beauty is it?
“Shire Hall itself wasn’t that bad a looking building, but it’s a shame it’s not being replaced with something a little bit more elegant.”
Cllr Davies (Labour, Thames) committed a faux pas by letting cllr Lovelock speak before planning officer Richard Eatough could introduce the application, provoking collegiate laughs.
When Mr Eatough said he had nothing much to add, cllr Davies quipped: “You bailed me out there!”
There were concerns about traffic safety, with Mr Eatough recommending that Wokingham Borough Council investigate crash data and improvements to the junction of Whitley Wood Lane and the B3270.
Cllr Micky Leng stated that there had been “little or no cooperation” between the two councils to make the junction safer, which is Wokingham Borough Council’s responsibility.
Lorry traffic will be intensified as a result of the project.
Cllr Leng (Labour, Whitley) said: “Instead of a car, drivers have more chance of hitting a lorry now.
“I think Wokingham Borough Council should stop taking this lightly and get on with it.”
He also pointed out that Reading Borough Council resurfaced part of Whitley Wood Lane which wasn’t its responsibility “out of good faith”.
Cllr Davies quipped: “I thought you were going to do a JD Vance and say they should say thank you!”
A petition calling for safety measures has so far received 24 signatures, and closes on Thursday, April 17.
Councillors raised no objections but did request an investigation into safety at the Whitley Wood Lane junction at the meeting on April 2.
A decision will be made by Wokingham Borough Council. You can view the application by typing reference 250415 into its planning portal.
