Plans aimed at transforming the fortunes of a half-empty business park could be approved next week.
Reading Borough Council (RBC) will vote next week on a proposal to revitalise the half-empty Reading International Business Park to make it more attractive to businesses.
The business park, located at Junction 11 of the M4 in south Reading, is home to several companies but 48 per cent of the site is vacant.
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Case officer Ethne Humphreys said planning officers have worked positively and proactively with the applicant on the scheme and consider it “supportable”.
Tristan Capital Partners has submitted plans to Reading Borough Council (RBC) to create a new entrance, decked car park and upgrade the main office building, as part of the plans for the business park.
It also wants to carry out works to the listed Little Lea Cottage, upgrade its gym and turn a canteen into a health centre, accommodation or offices.
Consultant Max Goode said the vacancy issue is due to a number of factors, but primarily “due to the space not having been modernised so that it is no longer viewed in the market as providing ‘Category A’ space”.
He said there is also “a lack of good quality amenity space” so the park is unable to compete with the higher quality office accommodation provided elsewhere in Reading, such as the nearby Green Park.
The plans include a new entrance to make the site easier to notice and improve the “poor arrival experience”.
Other works include changes to the listed Little Lea Cottage, the Dot and landscaping works.
The Dot, a building historically been used as the main canteen for the office workers but will be transformed into offices and a multi-purpose space which could be used as a yoga or pilates studio, a ‘town hall space’ for tenants or a community room.
The canteen will be moved into the main building.
Other plans included replacing the current gym at the main building with a new larger gym.
Little Lea Cottage, a 17th century Grade II listed building will be “sensitively repaired and refurbished” under the plans to “bring it into sustainable and beneficial use”, which could include a standalone office or a flexible space for visitors such as physios.
There is no firm plan for the farmhouse but the current ideas including turning it into a health centre for the wellbeing of employees, a standalone office or overnight accommodation for overseas visitors.
The “very harsh and sterile” outside area, would be enhanced by planting trees, adding an employee allotment and creating outdoor meeting pods and walking and running routes.
Under the plans, some parking bays will be lost to dedicated spaces that will only be available for those using electric vehicles and car sharers.
An extra 61 car parking spaces are planned at the site to make up for this but this is a separate planning application, which will be voted on at a later date.
Tristan Capital Partner also want to make the business park more sustainable.
RBC's Planning Applications committee will vote on the proposal next Wednesday, February 3.
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