Reading advances station district regeneration

CGI of Station Hill development by Reading main-line railway station (MGT Investment Management) close to the western start point of the Elizabeth Line

Future Cities Forum will be holding its station-led regeneration forum in February to look at developments that post Covid-19 are helping to restore the UK's economy. One of these is the Station Hill development adjacent to Reading Station, which is set to benefit from being at the western start point of the Elizabeth Line.

The full scheme details for the transformational £750 million Station Hill development have been granted planning approval securing the renewed vision for the scheme.

The design of the project is being overseen by an international collective that features CallisonRTKL acting as the project master-planner and architect for the residential and hotel buildings.

CallinsonRTKL stated:

'This latest approval brought forward by the joint venture between Lincoln Property Company and MGT Investment Management (Lincoln MGT) will create a new gateway for Reading, comprising up to 625,000 sq ft best-in-class office space, 750 private and affordable homes, and over 60,000 sq ft of new lifestyle-led retail and leisure space, including potential for a 200-bed hotel and later living accommodation, and two acres of public realm. This will deliver a new and improved landscaped entrance to Reading which will play host to a series of curated, community-focussed events.

A prominent element of the proposal, One Station Hill, will be the first office building within the scheme, offering 275,000 sq ft of best-in-class workspace. There has been considerable occupational interest in this state-of-the-art building which offers amenities that, until now, have rarely been seen outside of the London market. This includes several onsite fitness facilities and concierge services, as well as its own tech-based ecosystem that will provide occupiers with complete control of their workspace.

Aimed at occupiers vying to win the 'war for talent', One Station Hill will go beyond the traditional standalone regional office space that dominates the market outside of London, including rooftop amenities with terrace, bar and lounge, direct access to 95,000 sq ft of independent retail, leisure and F&B, promoting the vibrancy of a new community and curated public realm that thousands will call home. The latter phases provide flexibility for a range of commercial and residential uses, including later living and hotel accommodation, to meet the changing social and economic trends as the development programme progresses.

Once complete, the prominent site in the heart of Reading will combine with earlier residential phases to deliver up to 1,350 new homes, office accommodation for approximately 9,000 new jobs, lifestyle-led space for retail, cafes and restaurants, a new pedestrian link and activated public realm between the station and the town centre, becoming a new district and destination for Reading.'