The project that replaced Wickes and Iceland with more than 400 apartments near Reading town centre has been completed.
The Wickes and Iceland site in Weldale Street, which previously had a characterful clock feature, stood for years in a prominent location on the IDR.
But the whole site was demolished to make way for 418 one, two and three-bed build-to-rent flats from 2019 onwards.
The project has been years in the making, receiving approval from Reading Borough Council in 2017.
The company that manages the site, Allsop Letting and Management, celebrated the completion of the project on Thursday, January 29.
Guests enjoyed prosecco, light bites, and live music by Leon Dixon, an award-winning pianist.
The newest building, called Emporium House East, features more than 160 apartments, a games and media room and a co-working space.
Kathryn Jordan, an Allsop lettings manager, said: “In this building, we have resident lounges, a games room, a pool table.
“Our media room is set up like a lounge, and we have a large screen so we can do movie nights and sports.
“But one of the big features here is the working spaces.
“So many people are working from home now, it’s great to have such a large cohort of areas that you can work in.
“And also, residents can invite colleagues to come and work with them.”
Mrs Jordan mentioned a ‘loneliness epidemic’ among people who work from home, which is why the lower ground floor has been turned into a co-working space.
She explained: “We’re finding a lot of our residents have been feeding back to us the fact that they feel that they’ve become quite isolated working from home in their apartments.
“So this gives them the opportunity to work from home, but in a more sociable setting.”
A key feature of the development is that residents can use facilities in both of the buildings.
The neighbouring building contains a gym, a hireable dining room and an outdoor barbecue area.
Allsop Letting and Management is working on a booking system which will allow people living elsewhere to access the co-working space in the newer building, Emporium House East.
The development has been through a series of name changes over the years.
It was initially called ‘Foundry Quarter’ during the planning stage, but was rebranded to ‘Domain Reading’ when the first phase of the development was completed in Spring 2022.
This first phase saw 253 apartments created, with the second phase, which was completed recently, providing 165 apartments.
The development was rebranded Emporium House when Allsop was appointed as the management company in 2024.
The first phase was subsequently renamed Emporium House West.
At the time of the project being approved in November 2017, it faced criticism from councillors.
Jason Brock (Labour, Southcote) called it “boring and poorly designed”, and Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) called the affordable housing offer of 10 per cent “woeful”.
Mr Brock and Mr Page both left the council in 2024.
Wickes closed in 2009 after it relocated to the Reading Retail Park, and Iceland closed in September 2018, with a store opening in Broad Street Mall in June 2019.
Categories: Planning Permission
