Plan to transform The Oracle in Reading scrutinised

Recently, The Oracle shopping centre’s owning company Hammerson launched a consultation website on its plan to transform the eastern half of centre.

The proposal involves replacing the former Debenhams unit and the building home to Vue Cinema, on either side of the River Kennet, with new facilities including 475 homes and new retail and leisure space.

In a webinar held this week (Tuesday, August 23) more details were revealed.

READ MORE: The Oracle in Reading could be transformed with 475 apartments planned

Michael Dillon, from CallisonRTKL planning firm explained part of the Debenhams store would be demolished.

The parts of the building that would be retained would be reconfigured, with leisure functions on the lower floors and retail on the upper floors.

Meanwhile the building that’s home to Vue cinema will be completely demolished and replaced with a new building for mixed use, with residential apartments on upper floors and a cinema and leisure use below.

The part of The Oracle which would be transformed as part of the east site redevelopment. Credit: Hammerson

A total of475 apartments have been proposed, and it is believed all of these will be made ‘Build to Rent’ which involves all homes being professionally managed by a single company.

Registered attendees of the webinar had the ability to ask questions.

One attendee, Richard, asked how long tenants typically stay in Build to Rent homes, whether they stay long term or stay only for a short term while they go to buy elsewhere.

In reply, Hope Harrison from Packaged Living said: “We found that people do tend to stay as a resident, they may move around within the building, they may move to a larger unit, they move in with a friend and rent somewhere.

“We want to deliver units that are homes, and because we have the amenity provision, because we’re well located, we feel that people tend to stay there at longer because it suits their needs, as opposed to just using it as a stop gap between purchasing somewhere.”

Concerns were also raised around lighting in Yield Hall Place, which bridges the Kennet.

An attendee called Robert asked whether lighting would be improved there. Although there is lighting on the bridge, it was pointed out the area can get quite dark at night.

The Yield Hall Place crossing over the River Kennet at The Oracle in Reading. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Mr Dillon replied that lighting would be improved as part of the scheme, in addition to landscaping improvements in  Yield Hall Place.

You can view the webinar on The Oracle consultation website.

Additionally, Richard asked whether the architecture will be inspiring.

Mr Dillon said: “We’ve been set a challenge by the local planning authority to do something out of the ordinary, to do something with a bit of a wow factor to it.

“Obviously that can be very challenging because we’ve got a budget to work within, but we think we’ve come up with some ideas to address that, so hopefully by the time we get to make a planning application we’ll have something that will be inspiring and be of interest, and will delight people as the walk through The Oracle.”

READ MORE: Reading hunt for developer to build 618 flats in exciting new area begins

Hammerson is engaging in an ongoing consultation before its officially submits its plan to Reading Borough Council.

Feedback from the public could change elements of the proposal, which is likely to be submitted later this year.

Responding to a question from a woman called Nicola about when the application would be submitted, Hannah Knowles, from Turley planning consultants said: “We’re still working through pre-application discussions, but it’s likely to be Autumn time that we aim for a submission.”