Reading plans 2024 could see thousands of flats built

The past 12 months have seen plans to transform The Oracle Shopping Centre submitted, which would see 449 apartments created through newly built towers.

Not far away at Broad Street Mall, owners AEW revealed a plan to add 601 apartments to the mall site.

Hundreds of flats could also replace the Thames Valley Police headquarters in Castle Street as well.

A number of these proposed developments have not been officially submitted to Reading Borough Council yet, but are set to be submitted or even decided on in the New Year.

You can view them below.

The Oracle 449 flats transformation 

The proposed ground floor plan for both of the new buildings at the eastern portion of The Oracle in Reading. Credit: The Oracle Limited Partnership / Turley

Official plans for 449 flats appeared on the council's planning website earlier this year.

Two plans were submitted. Application reference 221916 covering the north bank of the Kennet and the old Debenhams unit would see 202 apartments added with the rest of the space reconfigured to provide a leisure unit a restaurant and co-working office space.

Meanwhile, application reference 221917, covering the south bank of the River Kennet, would see the Vue Cinema and restaurants building demolished to make way for 247 apartments, a new cinema and one restaurant unit.

Broad Street Mall 

A CGI of a plan that would see Broad Street Mall demolished to make way for new towers. Credit: AEW and Mclaren Living

In the summer, Broad Street Mall's owners AEW revealed fresh plans to add 601 apartments to the rear of the centre. 

The mall's previous owners Moorgarth had won approval to build 422 flats and a 101-bed hotel in December 2021. 

However, AEW made changes to comply with law and adapt the vision for the future of the mall. 

READ MORE: This is when new towers could be added to Broad Street Mall in Reading

Four new towers built from basement level upwards would provide 271 one-bed, 290 two-bed and 40 three-bed flats. 

The mall's car park would have to close during construction. Earlier this year, the previous plan was described as looking like 'something from Mordor'. 

Napier Court 

The plan to replace the Napier Court office buildings with 570 apartments in Napier Road, Reading. Credit: 5 Plus

Napier Court is a row of three offices in Napier Road, sitting between a Tesco Extra and the town centre. 

In Autumn, Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates revealed plans to replace them with residential towers containing 570 apartments. 

Initially, the developers sought a 'screening opinion' on whether the project would require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)'.

Ultimately, planning officer Matt Burns judged that an EIA would not be needed. 

An official plan had not been submitted at the time of writing.  

Thames Valley Police HQ 

A sketch of a plan for 260 flats to replace the Thames Valley Police headquarters in Castle Street, Reading town centre. Credit: Taken from S2 website

This plan would see the police headquarters in Castle Street levelled and replaced with new towers containing 260 flats. 

An embryonic plan for the site appeared in September. 

Development company S2 predicts the gross domestic value of the development to be £110 million.

The headquarters were sold subject to planning consent in 2022, with Thames Valley Police hoping to move to Atlantic House in Whitley by the end of 2024.