Station Hill 2

[MickEdge]

Overjoyed to see that the great big LED smart screen outside the station has been granted planning permission. Amused that a condition is that the "smart screen hereby permitted shall not operate outside of 0600 to 2400 hours each day. Reason: To preserve the visual amenity of the surrounding area". So presumably for the rest of the day, when we are all around to enjoy it, the screen enhances the visual amenity of the area!

[chris_j_wood]

... a condition is that the "smart screen hereby permitted shall not operate outside of 0600 to 2400 hours each day ...

Good to see that the council are looking after the interests of the street sleepers in this way.

[Pooneil]

... a condition is that the "smart screen hereby permitted shall not operate outside of 0600 to 2400 hours each day ...

Good to see that the council are looking after the interests of the street sleepers in this way.

Perhaps during those hours it shoulf broadcast some sort of "quit drugs... stop drinking...move to a shelter" subliminal message...

[Voiceoftreason?]

.... and don’t pee on the library walls.

[Pooneil]

.... and don’t pee on the library walls.

"We don't need no drug addiction
We don't need no bedding rolls
No dark and dingy toilet habits
Sleeper leave the lib alone
Hey! Sleeper! Leave the lib alone
All in all it's just another p*** up the wall"

No disrepect to D6 and his daily struggle against the tide - I greatly sympathise. And no intent to trivialise the social problems either - it's just a little something that occurred to me on the bus this evening.

[Voiceoftreason?]

That is inspired! Brilliant.

[ash]

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/readi ... emolition/

From this GetReading article, it appears Friars Walk will be demolished soon.

Unless the new owners decide to go ahead with the previous plans, Friar Street may have a gaping hole in it for some time.

[MickEdge]

If Friars Walk forms part of the whole development site, then I would guess it will get knocked down and redeveloped. A large pedestrian thoroughfare must be in the developers interests, as well as those accessing the station, since Friar St is RB’s de facto bus station. Hopefully, it will be open 24-7 and not turn into a muggers and dossers paradise after dark.

[Urban myth]

Looks like the new owners are going to get on with things. Station hill website indicates that it will soon be updated as well so after so many false dawns and with Crossrail creeping closer might finally see some progress. Be good if the zombie experience can stay somewhere centrally as well

[Stargazer]

Nearly another month has passed and the Station Hill website is still "coming soon" so I'm not holding my breath. In the meantime I was mildly amused after all that fuss about the big screen to hear that on the evening of a particular big match it wasn't working

[bobby1413]

Nearly another month has passed and the Station Hill website is still "coming soon" so I'm not holding my breath. In the meantime I was mildly amused after all that fuss about the big screen to hear that on the evening of a particular big match it wasn't working

The screen was working for all games except one. The last one where England were knocked out it was in full working order.

[ash]

I'm not sure whether the new owners plan to go ahead with the already-approved plans, or whether they will go back and start the design process again. If it's the latter, it will likely be a long time before any construction takes place.

[ash]

Interesting to see an application for this scheme this week (application number 181820 on Reading Borough Council's website).

From what I can gather, the applicants want to change the residential units in plot F and E, into a build-to-rent scheme, and increase the number of residential units without changing the residential floorspace. I guess this is to maximise income.

But more interesting is the proposed change to the phasing of the scheme. Instead, phase 1 looks like it will be the residential parts.

I just wonder if they will continue with the full scheme after the residential units are built and let out. Especially, because the main leisure/community components of the scheme were going to be the rooftop athletics track on the car park (not phase 1).

[Shockabuku]

Interesting to see an application for this scheme this week (application number 181820 on Reading Borough Council's website).

From what I can gather, the applicants want to change the residential units in plot F and E, into a build-to-rent scheme, and increase the number of residential units without changing the residential floorspace. I guess this is to maximise income.

Here's a bit more information:
https://tvproperty.co.uk/news/first-pro ... ill-scheme

[Jtee]

The screen has gone up this morning. Not turned on yet but won’t be long by the looks of it.

It’s offensively large and dominant in what felt like a comfortable spaced public area before. Pretty disappointing and needless addition to the street scene.

[chris_j_wood]

Intrigued by the plan to:

make the new walkway from Garrard Street to Friar Street level, rather than stepped or ramped as in the previously approved scheme

Given significant vertical difference between the two streets, how on earth can they build a level walkway between the two!.

[OLDMAN]

I wonder if the compo’ seeking moron who objected to it last time will start shouting again?
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local ... ar_twitter

Or will he stay quiet when it was pointed out some buildings where being REMOVED and an open walkway put through thus making more light!

[OneGorman]

Here we go. New plans for the “first phase” released. Note that this is only the Friars Walk build and not the ‘main event’ skyscrapers that were and hopefully are planned.

https://product.costar.com/home/news/sh ... content=p1

A lot more homes than previously planned.

Also: http://readingonthames.com/2019/04/05/s ... ssion=true











Meh.

[ash]

Nice! Do like the widened pedestrian frontage of Friars Walk onto Friar Street. To be honest, the buildings aren't the most inspiring to say the least. But blocks of flats are what we expected on plots E and F.

I'm more interested to see what they will design for the site north of Garrard Street, and fronting the Station.

[OLDMAN]

Looks good – hopefully it will inject some life back into Friar St

[OneGorman]

I can’t see this development do anything to revitalise Friar St. Just look at Broad St. The high street is dying all over the country; losing out to internet sales. Friar St is even worse off and now only good for a few bang average bars and restaurants.

[chris_j_wood]

Friar St is even worse off and now only good for a few bang average bars ...

Careful. You will upset the Wetherspooners.

[Tommy]

On the face of it, that looks quite nice. On the other hand. This town is just so busy. It's rather worrying piling them high, cramming them in.

As for Friar Street, it's a good job The Hope Tap is there. Increases the footfall down there. Otherwise it would be even more run down than it is.

[OneGorman]

Any idea when the car park on this site is to be torn down? Can’t be far away now if these plans get the go ahead.

[OLDMAN]

On the face of it, that looks quite nice. On the other hand. This town is just so busy. It's rather worrying piling them high, cramming them in.

As for Friar Street, it's a good job The Hope Tap is there. Increases the footfall down there. Otherwise it would be even more run down than it is.

I went along Friar St yesterday and it was very busy with a lot of people about - so cant be that bad?

[ash]

The smaller units will probably be easier to rent out, too. As long as they're not all going to be mobile-phone accessory shops, it could liven up that end of Friar Street. As mentioned before: cafes, and perhaps grab-and-go food places do tend to fit in well with these locations. Especially the case if supported by busy residential/office areas, should they build any in the next phase.

Anything like this has got to be better than the derelict Friars Walk shopping centre.

I saw a news article the other day about the dying high streets up and down the country. There are some towns/cities that have truly just been left to deteriorate. The level of investment in Reading is really amazing when compared to the rest of the UK. It's a testament to our strong economy (for now...) and relatively busy town centre. I think a lot of other places would like to emulate our successes.

[dave m]

I posted elsewhere on here about 6 months ago.
Slough is like a ghost town.
Horrible.

What would be good would be small units on the ground floor of flats. Nobody wants a ground floor flat in the town centre. Run them as starter units for small retail . Subsidised by the living accommodation above. Got to be better than derelict/unoccupied shops or yet another pub/bar/kebab shop. Both for the street scene and the people in the flats.

[Tommy]

A leisure complex would have been better for this site. Ice rink, bowling alley, indoor crazy golf.

[Urban myth]

Station Hill branded marketing/advertising boards being attached to the current perimeter hoarding at the bottom of Greyfriars road/Station Hill. Be interesting to see later this year what the plans are with the car park and old Top Rank site

[chris_j_wood]

A view soon to be no more:

And does anybody remember using that long derelict roof-level entrance into (?)C&A?.

[OneGorman]

Yeah, I can remember by mum taking me that way in the early 80’s. She also worked in the old BT building. Looking forward to seeing the car park et all being flattened and hopefully soon.

[MickEdge]

A view soon to be no more:
And does anybody remember using that long derelict roof-level entrance into (?)C&A?.

The view will last forever, but from the new buildings instead. How long will they last I wonder. Great pics, just amazing what detail a phone can give these days.

[spectrum64]

Some very smart black hoardings have gone up in the last few days in Friar Street from Sainsburys up to the boxing gym next door to Cosmo. For some reason there are dozens of lights attached to them.

[OneGorman]

GetReading conforming today that demolition is about to begin and will take approx 20 weeks.

[Tommy]

A view soon to be no more:


2019-05-04 16.48.46.jpg

2019-05-04 16.48.52.jpg


And does anybody remember using that long derelict roof-level entrance into (?)C&A?.

Oh yes. My abiding memory of that roof entrance was getting back to the car after being taken in town by my mum, putting on the car radio to find out how the FA Cup semi-finals were going, only to be greeted with all sorts of confusion and the revelation and unfolding scenes at Hillsborough. I'll always remember that.