Electricity Board Offices Vastern Road

[Jude]

This building was were I had to go for my work experience from school as an electrician. The supplies depot was on a small industrial estate along the south side of Amersham Road, now gone. Don't remember how many, if any, homes there were there yet.. Spent the week riding around in a Maestro van doing jobs in peoples' homes

[Bam]

My wife worked in the leccy offices in Vastern Road in the early 60s. My dad ran a battery sales place in Vastern Road in the 40s or 50s. He replated old batteries and had the agency for Youngs batteries. It had one room in a bridge you could drive under. Dad let the covered way below to Dennis J Hands. I think it was the first car sales pitch that Denis ever had. One morning the cars were found to have been damaged by sulphuric acid that had dripped down from the battery shop above.

[spectrum64]

Does anyone know what is happening with this site? I understood that they were moving out to new offices in Forbury Road, but there still seem to be a lot of cars parked there and presumably people at work inside.

[Urban myth]

They have moved into Forbury Place. As there were a number of offices outside Reading moving there as well my guess would be that they are still using the old office car park until it is sold or redeveloped.

[eddieed]

They have moved into Forbury Place. As there were a number of offices outside Reading moving there as well my guess would be that they are still using the old office car park until it is sold or redeveloped.

They are as I have seen people walking between the buildings.

There is also an electricity substation onsite (right in the middle) which will need to be moved a bit prior to development as well.

[Stargazer]

No plans for the site that I'm aware of so far - but I dare say flats will figure prominently

[spectrum64]

The Chronicle has an article on its site today with a proposal to build houses on the site and complete the link to the new bridge over the river

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/plans ... n-reading/

[OneGorman]

In Your Area is GetReading (Eveving Post).

200 plus homes, 11 stories high. Can’t see any problems getting that one through.

[Stargazer]

11 storeys might seem straightforward but there is a big difference between that and most town centre developments in that there are a lot of residents in two-storey Victorian terraces that back on to the site that will no doubt have a view on this. (I happen to live in a similar terrace but on the other side of Caversham Road where it probably won't be noticeable to us). Another objection I've heard voiced is the detrimental effect on the view from the river and Christchurch Bridge.

Anyway, presumably as a result of objections the developers are busy revising the design. I expect to be meeting them in late February so should know more then - the fact that they have put back our meeting with them from early January might give us a hint that the changes will be extensive.

[ash]

Probably just going to be the normal planning process.

You want to build X-number of floors/residential units. Increase the height of the plans, hold a public consultation, get feedback about it impacting on neighbouring properties, then finally submit the original plans to the council, saying that you have held extensive consultation and listened to the views of local residents. Thus the height has been reduced in response, and the developer looks like they have compromised.

[spectrum64]

Half of the car park is closed off with some work going on. I'm not sure if it is connected with the rigs taking soil samples along the river bank or preparatory work for redevelopment of the site.

[peterson]

There was a consultation event yesterday. The updated plans look quite good, but I'm surprised to see no cafe/restaurant along the river frontage, which seems like a big missed opportunity to me.
Thoughts at greater length:
http://readingonthames.com/2019/02/25/a ... ooding-in/
There's also a consultation website
http://www.vasternroad.co.uk

[Mayfield]

I think this blog is related and mentions an application by Berkeley Homes:
http://readingonthames.com/2019/02/25/a ... ooding-in/

Sorry if this is 'old news'

[OneGorman]

New plans for this site. Look good too.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readi ... ssion=true

[spectrum64]

There was a large pile of topsoil in the car park this morning a digger on top. As I mentioned before this may be connected with the soil core sampling rather than the future of the site.

[spectrum64]

An update on this. There is a lot of equipment and several large cable drums on the site now. I wonder if this is preparatory work for moving the substation to the side of the site?

[GaryyHill]

An update on this. There is a lot of equipment and several large cable drums on the site now. I wonder if this is preparatory work for moving the substation to the side of the site?

It does seem like they've started some ground work on a portion of the site. More JCBs arrived on site today.

[MickEdge]

An update on this. There is a lot of equipment and several large cable drums on the site now. I wonder if this is preparatory work for moving the substation to the side of the site?

It does seem like they've started some ground work on a portion of the site. More JCBs arrived on site today.

The exhibition plans suggested that the Electrics are staying.

[spectrum64]

The activity we've seen there seems to be connected with the cabling works on Vastern Road rather than any work on the site itself.

[Lizzy33]

Here’s a snap of what’s happening

[Tommy]

I keep seeing all these housing developments. Mainly flats going up. Yet, not much sign of improvement to roads.

[OneGorman]

Plans revealed, via GetReading.



A sketch for the avenue connecting the planned development in 53-55 Vastern Road, Reading.

[Jude]

Exhibition of the plans TODAY at the SSE building between 3.30 and 7.30.

www.vasternroad.co.uk

[Tommy]

I like the way they portray these images as if they're some sort of idyllic, tranquil environment. Where's all the traffic?

[MickEdge]

Compared to the towering blocks of the Royal Mail development, this one looks idyllic.

[OneGorman]

I love how they added a Cafe and reduced the build by one story to ‘win the public over’ ... That cafe which is river side won’t last long. The local sandwich/baguette/warm meals place (I’m So Hungry) didn’t last two years and they got a lot of their business from Ericsson (then moved to Guildford, now back in the TC) and Thames Water. But clearly not enough. So a riverside Cafe will struggle, especially in the winter months.

As for the flats. They’re ok. Not too offensive to the local houses. Parking and traffic? As if the council cares about that. They’re creating bus lanes left, right and centre, that get used once every twenty minutes at local drivers expense ...

[peterson]

I love how they added a Cafe and reduced the build by one story to ‘win the public over’ ... That cafe which is river side won’t last long. The local sandwich/baguette/warm meals place (I’m So Hungry) didn’t last two years and they got a lot of their business from Ericsson (then moved to Guildford, now back in the TC) and Thames Water. But clearly not enough. So a riverside Cafe will struggle, especially in the winter months.

I didn't manage to get to the exhibition but pleased to hear about the cafe and optimistic for its success. Obviously depends on the operator and how its run, but there is the opportunity presented by a steady stream of commuters morning and evening who'll walk through this development on their way between Caversham and the station/town centre. A brisk coffee trade if nothing else, plus the summer office lunch breaks, passing trade and weekend users.

[Yola]

These buildings look quite attractive on the plans. Curious to know whether block E - the mews - are actually going to be houses, or maisonettes/flats as the scheme's website doesn't fully explain. Did anyone go to the exhibition?

[MickEdge]

These buildings look quite attractive on the plans. Curious to know whether block E - the mews - are actually going to be houses, or maisonettes/flats as the scheme's website doesn't fully explain. Did anyone go to the exhibition?

They a are terrace of individual houses, so I guess they count as a mews, pretty small, but you get a garage. I went and it looks ok. Bigger than what’s around it, but should work and improve the area. I’ll be able to pedal across Christchurch Bridge and through the middle of it. More up market than the Royal Mail site. My recollection is that Berkeley, the developers, used to build very expensive housing.

[Yola]

Thanks for that insight MickEdge. A terrace of individual houses is a breath of fresh air in a landscape dominated by apartments, so even if small, I'll take that as a nod towards diversity of housing stock!

[MrsKaur]

There seems to be intermittent building works on this site - various diggers shifting rubble around. But there's lots of cars and staff parking on this site too.

[MickEdge]

The have been doing work on the electricity sub station, which is staying and separate from the redevelopment. It all seems to have gone very quiet. Let's hope it doesn't take as long as Station Hill.

[Tommy]

Is it correct these offices used to be a rollerskating place?

[dave m]

I would be surprised. There has been an electricity supply/power station on there since the early 1900's

[Tommy]

I would be surprised. There has been an electricity supply/power station on there since the early 1900's

Looking at this link, it was in West Street - so you're right Dave. I'm sure somebody told me there was one around that area once, but I can't find any info on it.

https://www.berkshirestories.org.uk/arc ... ting-c1912

I was thinking something like this around the station area would do well, with kids parties (adults would love it too) etc. It's a shame we're going to get yet more flats.