A developer has been chosen to build more than 600 flats in Reading’s town centre.
Reading Borough Council is to transform the former Civic Centre site to create a ‘destination area’ for living, eating and entertainment.
The area, to the rear of Broad St. Mall, has been used as an allotment space since the buildings were demolished in 2016.
The area will become the ‘Minster Quarter’ and it is hoped it will be a net zero carbon development.
Of the 618 flats envisaged, 30% would be designated affordable housing – 185 apartments.
In a decision meeting held on Monday, January 22, Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey and lead councillor for environmental services and community safety on the borough council, said the project would ‘knit back the civic heart of Reading’.
Concerns were raised by councillor Rob White, the leader of the opposition, who said there were ‘unanswered questions’ about the net zero plans for the buildings, and asked for a climate impact assessment.
“I don’t think residents are getting the best deal on affordable housing,” Cllr White said. “I’m concerned that as councillors we are making a decision, and then assuming everything goes well with the winning bidder.”
The Green party member said half the development should be affordable – 309 flats, and he would only support moving forward if the council’s policy committee was given a final say on the designs.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward (Labour, Thames) accused councillor White of ‘nitpicking’.
The lead councillor for leisure and culture continued: “Obviously some people are never going to be happy with anything, and will make increasingly desperate attempts to try and pick holes.
“I’m very excited that this has come forward, from a leisure and culture point of view it brings forward a fantastic setting for The Hexagon, it’s an area of the town that hasn’t had the love and care that it’s needed, it’s taken a while to bring this forward since the civic offices closed and it’s really exciting that we’re in a position to move forward.”
She added work with the operators of Blue Collar Corner would continue – the street food market space had recently signed an extended lease for its current site.
Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley), lead councillor for planning and assets, disagreed with Cllr White, saying the project ‘far exceeds’ the council’s strategic aims for providing affordable family-sized homes and its net zero climate goals.
He added that he would be ‘over the moon’ with the project and opportunities to regenerate the market.
The scheme was also welcomed by Cllr Simon Robinson (Conservative, Emmer Green), who said: “If you walk around that area at night it’s not good, so I think anything that brings that area up in the world and regenerates that part of Reading is all for the good.”
Cllr Liz Terry (Labour, Southcote), the deputy council leader, said: “That area needs the regeneration, we need to seize the opportunity that this long and robust process has presented to us.”
The council’s policy committee then selected the developer to build the Minster Quarter in a closed session, although Cllr White voted against moving forward in an earlier public vote.
The names of bidders cannot be disclosed for commercial reasons, but will be revealed by the council after a minimum 10-day waiting period.
