We’re proud to support Reading’s most important development and infrastructure projects
6 Summer 2016
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading…
Reading Station Area Regeneration Thames Tower and Station Hill, Reading
Christchurch Bridge, Caversham
Visit peterbrett.com or Twitter @peterbrettllp to find out how your next project could be #poweredbyPBA.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
PBA has been supporting development and economic growth across Reading for more than 50 years. Our innovative and forward-thinking advice maximises value for our clients and the local community. From infrastructure to land development to the built environment, our work in taking projects through planning, design and delivery across the region has transformed how people live, work and play.
Winning place, connected base, arts space
READING’S NEWEST LANDMARK NOW COMPLETE
+ A headquarters office building of 104,192 sq ft (9,679 sq m)
+ Roof terraces with wild flower gardens
+ Grade A specification + Large floorplates of up to 19,584 sq ft
+ Reached Practical Completion May 2016
+ Opposite Reading Station
+ Inspiring and efficient work environment
+ EPC A
A DEVELOPMENT BY
OLIVIA WOOD owood@savills.com 020 7409 8038
RICHARD HARDING richardharding@brayfoxsmith.com 020 3362 4349
ROB PEARSON rpearson@savills.com 020 7299 3093
JAMES SHILLABEER jamesshillabeer@brayfoxsmith.com 020 3362 4351
RPLUSREADING.COM Watch the video at rplusreading.com/video
THAMES TOWER THE VERTICAL VILLAGE
THAMES TOWER READING RG1 1LX Currently under construction, Thames Tower is a high profile 14 storey, landmark building opposite the new Reading national rail, and from 2019 Elizabeth Line, station.
Typical office floor CGI
The building will offer… – Stunning communal roof terrace on the fourteenth floor – Concierge services – Ground floor café / restaurant Unique office space available from 7,000 sq ft (650 sq m) to 193,000 sq ft (17,950 sq m). Available Q1 2017. THAMESTOWER.COM
Fourteenth floor roof terrace CGI
Reception area CGI
A Landid development in partnership with Brockton Capital
All enquiries to joint agents
Ollie McLeod
020 7399 5612 / ollie.mcleod@eu.jll.com
Darren Parkinson
0118 902 3934 / dparkinson@parkinsonholt.com
EPC
Grade A space RATING
A NEW HEADQUARTERS OFFICE BUILDING OF 39,926 SQ FT IN THE HEART OF READING TOWN CENTRE, THREE MINUTES’ WALK FROM READING RAILWAY STATION EPC RATING OF A OFFERING REDUCED OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR OCCUPIERS 9GREYFRIARS.COM Another development by
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Siobhán Crozier EDITOR: Maria Shahid ASSISTANT EDITOR: James Wood REPORTER: Marco Cillario HEAD OF DESIGN: Rachael Schofield DESIGN: Smallfury PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Chris Hazeldine BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: Paul Gussar BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Chris Joyce PROJECT MANAGER: Sue Mapara SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER: Simon Maxwell MANAGING DIRECTOR: Toby Fox COVER IMAGE: Call of the Bells from Nine Walking Words by Salvo Toscano Photography IMAGES: Peter Durant, Salvo Toscano, Reading UK CIC, ©TfL, Muse, Green Park/Paul Grundy, Charlotte Snowden Photography, Ikea, Prospect Theatre, Primary Talent International, Stefan Braun, Richard Thornton Photography, Amy Sharrocks, Neil BuchanGrant, ©Martin Sandford/2 Square Image Glug, National Portrait Gallery London, Ian Legge Photography, ©The British Library Board, Reading Borough council/ Reading Museum, Sam Frost, Library of Congress ( ), Archive. org ( ), Spink, ing media, Assael, Reading University, ©BBC, Ben Sutherland (CC BY 2.0), US State Department ( ), anyaivanova/ shutterstock.com, David Tothill, Heathrow, Nicholas Gougier/ Abaca Press ©Thales PRINTED BY: Park Communications PUBLISHED BY: 3foxinternational.com IN PARTNERSHIP: Reading UK CIC (The economic development company for Reading) The Library Building Abbey Square Reading RG1 3BQ livingreading.co.uk Contact Nigel Horton-Baker Executive director Reading UK CIC 0118 937 4339 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACK: readingukmagazine.com © 3Fox International Limited 2016. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited.
09
7
contents 09 News
What’s new in Reading’s evolving regeneration story?
14 Challenging
perceptions
With a year of culture and a vibrant music and night-time scene, Reading is proving popular with businesses, employees and visitors alike.
22 Heritage and culture
History and high drama are entering the spotlight in 2016.
28 Map
What is happening in regeneration – and where?
31 Development space A closer look at development schemes around Reading.
42 BBC Monitoring
On the outskirts of Reading a little-known stately home, Caversham Park, has played a pivotal role in world events.
14
47 Reading
international
With a new science park, and a business base with a global reputation, the pharmaceutical sector is booming and bringing more big business to Reading.
50 Markets
How Reading stacks up in numbers, at a glance.
52 Markets
intelligence
Reading’s locality and connections ensure a top ranking in surveys, soon to be boosted by inclusion on the London tube map.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
31
Roman Baths, Bath
STRESS BUSTING St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall
SCENE CHANGING The Shard, London
JAM DODGING Discover over 270 amazing places to visit
with Great Western Railway. Book in advance at GWR.com
READING NEWS
For up-to-date news stories visit readingukmagazine.com
AWARDS GALORE FOR READING
Winnersh Triangle, near Reading, has won the Business Park of the Year award at the Thames Valley Property Awards, which took place at the Ascot Racecourse on 12 May. A £27 million, 18,288sq m, four-storey office building at 1030 Eskdale Road is the latest phase of the 34-ha business park, and includes a communal green space which will be used to host a variety of events. Winnersh Triangle provides a total of 445,000sq m of office, industrial and amenity space. Vail Williams won Best Commercial Property Consultancy for its client service, which was praised as being “exceptional”. The company has helped clients find new premises,
such as field marketing company Resource Experience – hailed by business consultancy Great Places to Work as a “leading employer” – which has upgraded to a space of around 2,300sq m at the Winnersh Triangle office scheme near its former base in Bracknell. Managing partner at Vail Williams, Matthew Samuel-Camps, said: “Vail Williams prides itself on delivering outstanding property consultancy advice to our clients, and it is fantastic to see our commitment and focus recognised.” Other winners included JLL, which took Industrial and Logistics Property Consultancy of the Year and Lambert Smith Hampton, which won Best Commercial Property Consultancy.
FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR READING BATHS
THAMES BRIDGE NAMED
Reading’s Grade II-listed Edwardian baths are to be turned into a spa, swimming pool and restaurant, after full planning permission was granted. A sauna, steam rooms and changing facilities will also be developed at the King’s Meadow Victorian buildings, now known as Thames Lido. Entrepreneur Arne Ringer who is behind the award-winning Bristol Lido, is the selected developer.
A new bridge over the River Thames in Reading has been named. Christchurch Bridge was chosen by a public vote held in the first half of 2016, with 1,847 people registering their preferred choice. An alternative voting method was used to count the results, with second preferences considered. The Mayor of Reading, Councillor Sarah Hacker, made the name official in May 2016.
Amenities at Winnersh Triangle (above) include a four-star hotel and a fitness centre. More than 750 people voted for the name Christchurch Bridge (below).
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
9
NEWS
TFL MAP FEATURES READING Reading is on the Transport for London map for the first time in history. Crossrail, recently renamed the Elizabeth line after the Queen, means the Berkshire town appears on the capital’s map as the final station of the western section. Reading station will start being served by the new line in December 2019, when two trains an hour will allow passengers to travel through to central London without having to change trains. The Chatham Place mixed-use scheme, which was completed earlier this year, is seen by the council as a major part of its Reading 2020 vision.
10
CHATHAM PLACE COMPLETE The second and final phase of a £100 million residential development in Reading is complete. Work at Chatham Square, part of Muse Developments’ 225,552sq m Chatham Place, finished in February, delivering 184 one and two-bedroom apartments split over two buildings of nine and 19 storeys. It also features ground floor retail units, an urban garden and public artwork.
The scheme’s first phase, which was completed in 2009, included two residential blocks with 307 homes, as well as a 596-space multi-storey car park. Chatham Place has been developed in partnership with Reading Borough Council as part of an extension of the town centre within the council’s ‘Reading 2020’ vision, which shapes objectives for
how the city will look in the future. Robert Poole, projects director at Muse, said: “The development has transformed this part of the town, not only providing homes, but also creating a vibrant new public space for local people and visitors alike.” He added that the space would be one that the local community and residents can enjoy together.
GREEN PARK CHANGES HANDS Oxford Properties Group has completed on the 100% sale of Green Park to the Singaporean-based firm Mapletree Investments. The group will continue to act as asset manager for the business park on behalf of the new owners until the end of 2016. Green Park is set over 768,902sq m and includes 56,655sq m of office space across 19 buildings. An additional 3,440sq m of space is to be added to the site over time. More than 6,500 people are employed at the business park. Since Oxford Properties’ acquisition in 2011, occupiers from the telecoms, technology, pharmaceuticals and healthcare sectors have moved in. The group has undertaken an asset management programme and a five-building refurbishment programme, facilitatating new leases for companies including Quintiles, Huawei, PepsiCo, Thales and Bayer. Oxford has executed over 3,030sq m of leasing activity, bringing occupancy to 93%. Paul Brundage, executive vice president and senior managing director at Oxford Properties, said: “Green Park is an exceptional asset and we are proud of the work the Oxford Properties’ asset management team has done in improving occupancy, increasing rental rates and creating an engaging occupier experience.”
As well as being a business park, more than 50 bird species have been spotted at Green Park, while Longwater Lake, bisecting the site, is home to an abundance of fish.
FT INVESTMENT SURVEY RATES READING Reading was included among the top 25 places in Europe for foreign direct investment for the third consecutive time, and scooped six prizes at the fDi European Cities of the Future Awards 2016/17. The awards took place at the global property conference MIPIM in Cannes on 15 March 2016. In a bi-annual report produced by fDi Intelligence, part of The Financial Times, Reading was ranked 21st, only behind London and Cambridge in the UK. Rankings are measured by the likelihood of a foreign organisation investing in production or business by either buying a company or by expanding operations in that country. The Berkshire town had already been included among the top 25 cities in the 2012/13 and 2014/15 reports. Reading was also named the second most businessfriendly small city in Europe, based on the number and proportion of companies in hi-tech and knowledge-based industries, jobs created by investment, ease of doing business and the number of FT global organisations located there. Sue Brackley, economic development manager for Reading UK CIC, the company which submitted Reading’s application for the awards, said: “These awards recognise Reading’s compelling offer to business and investors: a base in the UK’s top performing knowledge economy alongside major blue chip companies.” READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
11
NEWS
LAW FIRM REPORTS BUMPER YEAR
STATION HILL EXPANSION APPROVED 12
Development at Station Hill is set to expand. On 10 February 2016, the Reading planning committee authorised developer Stanhope to include its recently purchased Telecom House office building on Friar Street into the existing outline planning consent for the site. This adds 12,000sq m of residential development to the site, which could create up to 281 flats, bringing the number of homes at the scheme to 471. Demolition work is currently under way. The site will provide the centre of Reading with a new urban square, called The Biscuit Tin, opening in June 2016. It will also eventually include more than 27,400sq m of retail and leisure space and four office buildings.
NEW COUNCILOWNED COMPANY Reading Borough Council is to create its own housing company to let properties at a mix of market and discounted rents. Plans to help people who are struggling in the current housing market were approved at a full council meeting on 22 March. The council has stated that there will be no overall cost to the local authority. The housing company, Homes for Reading, will buy properties in or around Reading with the aim of acquiring 100 homes in its first year and continuing at the same rate for the following four years.
IKEA OPENING IN JULY A £10 million IKEA store is being fitted out and will open in Reading this summer. Planning permission was granted in 2012 to build the Swedish furniture store. The flat-pack retailer, which will open on 14 July, is predicted to create up to 350 jobs in Reading.
The Station Hill development in Reading (above) will transform the area near the recently-refurbished station with the implementation of a leafy square, new offices and retail.
A Reading-based law firm has experienced rapid expansion throughout last year. Blandy & Blandy, one of the Thames Valley’s oldest firms, founded in 1733, has described 2015 as a “very successful” year. It saw the opening of a second office, the appointment of four new partners, the firm’s first female chair, and a headcount now approaching 100. The year began with the launch of the new office at 33 Blagrave Street in the town centre, close to Reading station, housing the firm’s company and commercial, dispute resolution and employment law teams.
READING REIGNS IN TECH POLL Reading is the region with the highest density of digital businesses in the UK, according to recent research. Tech Nation 2016 categorised over 20% of businesses in Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell as ‘tech’ – more than anywhere else in the UK. The sector supports 40,440 jobs in Reading – the third highest number in the UK. The town ranked third for the productivity of digital sector employees. Reading’s digital turnover is £10 billion – the second highest in the country. The average salary for people employed in the sector – £51,575 – is the second highest after London. According to the report, Reading is developing specialisms in enterprise software, cloud computing, data management and analytics.
Working with
We love your Speed, Flexibility and Breadth of Service
Design Build Furnish Move Fix
workplace services At Active we assist companies through periods of change, specialising in; workplace consultancy and space planning, interior design, fit outs and refurbishment, office furniture, relocation and storage solutions for business. We also provide office maintenance packages to keep your workplace up to date and looking fresh! For more information call: 0845 130 9066 or visit www.activefm.co.uk
CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
14
As Reading celebrates a year of culture, Lucy Purdy explores how the town’s vibrant and diverse arts scene is making people reconsider their perceptions, bringing in new business in the process
A
ttracting top firms and skilled employees is only half of the work of building a sustainably thriving business scene. Nurturing a cultural offering to match the growing economy is just as important. With its nimble yet dynamic arts scene, nurtured from grassroots to headline-grabbing heights, Reading provides a blueprint of how to do so. With a different theme each month, Reading 2016 sees the town welcome performers and experiences ranging from spellbinding dance and
unexpected art to horizon-shifting literature and tastebudpleasing food festivals. Using the #MadeInReading hashtag, the Reading 2016: Year of Culture enhances the town’s growing reputation as a destination for art and culture to the benefit of businesses, employees, residents and investors alike. Chairman of Reading BID, Adam Jacobs of Jacobs the Jewellers, says: “People aren’t robots! We take nourishment from art and culture – be it high art or the popular variety, for special occasions or in our day-to-day routines.
“A vibrant community always has culture at its heart and we are no exception” An audience with George The Poet (above) at RYND Bar & Kitchen in April. Reading 2016’s Exercise Book took place at Palmer Park in Reading (left and right).
Cementing Reading’s position as the leading town in the Thames Valley for working, shopping, living and enjoyment is key. A vibrant business, residential and commuter community always has culture at its heart and we are no exception. Bringing life and vibrancy to the town brings new visitors and keeps existing customers engaged. “For businesses looking to recruit and retain motivated staff, a holistic offering can bring a competitive advantage.” His viewpoint is shared by many, including Zsuzsi Lindsay, producer of Reading 2016: Year of Culture, who says the business community has leapt at the chance to back the programme, and the support is making all the difference. “I believe that the arts and culture scene will just keep on flourishing, which I find incredibly exciting,” she says. “The town’s artistic and cultural events are key on all levels for attracting new businesses, employees and visitors. We have a growing economy and it is important that Reading businesses feel they have a good offering when trying to retain and attract new talent: the cultural scene is a very important part of that pitch.” For Rory Carson, director and asset manager at Oxford Properties, supporting the town’s cultural programme made perfect sense. “Reading is a first class location for businesses, but the way we work is changing,” he explains. “Businesses that wish to attract and keep the very best people need to provide more than a pleasant office in which to work; they are increasingly looking for a sense of community and an environment that inspires.” Carson explains that this ethos was central to the development of Green Park, the 80-ha business park set in striking parkland, and that this is why it is home to some of the world’s largest brands and most successful businesses.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
15
CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS
16
The Reading Biscuit Experience, The Reading Contemporary Art Fair and Water Fest (partly curated by live artist Amy Sharrocks) are just three of the events for Reading 2016.
Carson adds: “Reading’s infrastructure – the roads, rail and airport connections – make it one of the best places in the country for businesses with a national or international outlook. It has a highly skilled and qualified workforce, supported by good quality housing and schools. All of these things are important if we are to attract and retain worldclass businesses.” However, it is not enough for a town to provide first class business amenities, says Carson. “It would be a very dry and dull place to live and work. A thriving cultural scene adds the colour we all need. And of course, it brings visitors into the town. Our support of the Reading 2016: Year of Culture programme is a natural extension to our efforts in creating a great environment in which to do business.” Thomas Moore is managing director of Trinity Mirror Southern and considers the year-long event a chance to “stamp a lasting impression” and create a long-term legacy for the town. “At Get Reading, we are involved as a key media partner and will be covering all of the events and reflecting the thoughts of the community through our social media channels,” he explains. “Events like this create a positive vibe throughout the town and can draw in larger audiences from surrounding areas, which is always good for local businesses. I’m sure all of the hard work will culminate in an amazing year – and beyond – for the people of Reading.”
17
Reading’s year of culture features events to suit all tastes, such as SITELINES theatre programme and music at the Oakford Social Club and the Purple Turtle bar.
Producer Lindsay emphasises that each event has been chosen with a unique audience in mind, to appeal to as many sections of the community as possible, but what are the highlights? “If you twisted my arm, then I would have to say that one of the events I am most excited about is Water Fest in June, which will be in part curated by [live artist, sculptor and film-maker] Amy Sharrocks, an internationally renowned artist in her field.” Another event Lindsay believes will be a hot ticket is Art in Unusual Places (including SITELINES, a site-specific theatre programme), and she points dance fans in the direction of An Audience with Craig Revel Horwood (Strictly Come Dancing judge) in November. “There are a number of ‘audience with’ events throughout READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
CHALLENGING PERCEPTIONS Tomorrow’s Reading (below right and opposite), a festival of science at Green Park, featured demonstrations, installations and speakers.
18
the year that are going to be great. Finally, it is definitely worth keeping your eye on plans for December’s Light Festival,” says Lindsay. “It is a sign of Reading’s growing cultural scene that we are attracting nationally renowned artists to curate parts of our year of culture. I would challenge people to try out Reading’s cultural scene, and be amazed at the quality.” Aside from the online and offline buzz created by individual events, Lindsay and colleagues at Reading UK CIC hope the programme will help subtly shift people’s expectations of the town. It will tap into some of Reading’s strengths that perhaps aren’t shouted about enough, she predicts. “One of Reading’s strengths is that we have such a diverse community. The other strength that I don’t think is celebrated enough is our amazing grassroots movement in the arts and our tendency to err on the slightly quirky and alternative side of the arts scene. What goes hand in hand with that is we have a lot of venues that are willing to take risks and help foster the more alternative side.” Carson is not alone in recognising the challenges that the town faces in overcoming initial perceptions of the town. “Those passing Reading by train or car will see logos of multinational business such as PepsiCo, Oracle, Microsoft and Quintiles, so may get the impression it’s just a home for big business,” he says. “One of the aims of the year of culture must be to demonstrate how much more there is to Reading than its economic success. Of course, the international renown of Reading Festival already goes some way to combatting this.
“A thriving cultural scene adds the colour we all need. And of course, it brings visitors into the town” Glug Reading Glug is a series of events for the design and creative community that takes place around the world in locations such as London, New York City and Stockholm. The Reading launch event for Glug took place at the end of April at the RYND Bar & Kitchen, described by Get Reading as having “more than a hint of London’s Shoreditch about it”. The event provided an opportunity for the local creative community to come together and network. It also gave an insight into the type of young creative that the town is hoping to attract with its programme of cultural events.
“Perhaps because of the prominent visibility of the many multinational businesses based in Reading, it’s often regarded as a ‘new town’. What surprises many people is the town’s long history – it was first settled in the eighth century – and its rich cultural heritage: beer, bulbs, biscuits and a buried king!” Trinity Mirror’s Moore does not hail originally from Reading or Berkshire and admits that before becoming more familiar with the area, he thought of the town as “the place between London and Wales on the M4”. “This for me is one of the things that the year of culture can change. You just have to consult the national lifestyle surveys to see what a great town Reading is and what great opportunities it presents for families, business, education, sport, arts and so much more.” Bobby Lonergan, business improvement district (BID) manager at Reading UK CIC, confirms that outside attitudes towards Reading have already moved forward markedly in recent years. “Reading was sometimes considered a little down at heel, with not much to offer, but efforts from Reading Borough Council, businesses, the voluntary sector and the public have gone a long way to challenge and change this view.” Lonergan has helped organise ARENA, part of the year of culture, which celebrates the best of Reading’s cultural scene through a programme of free outdoor arts and
Nadiya Hussain (above right), winner of the sixth series of The Great British Bake Off, is coming to Reading town hall as part of the year of culture.
cultural events in the town centre this summer. This kicked off in May. Walking tours, film making, a Brazilian samba procession and poetry readings will all feature, alongside events to celebrate Reading’s green qualities and heritage. Lonergan points to key developments such as the £1 billion upgrade of Reading station, the imminent arrival of the Elizabeth line (Crossrail) and promotion of Reading Abbey Quarter as a major business and cultural attraction, all supported by town centre business, as having helped nurture this growing positive reassessment of Reading by investors and the public in general. That the cultural offer is limited is the last charge that could now be levelled at the town, believes Lonergan. “Very few urban areas the size of Reading and larger can boast a decades-long established, world class, international classical music programme or a breathtaking number and variety of local orchestras, choirs, arts and drama groups, artists and performers. “There is also a thriving live music scene with literally hundreds of events to choose from every year,” he continues. “Reading Comedy Festival, Reading Summer Proms and Reading Festival are just a small sample of what is on offer.” He points too to Reading Abbey – “One of the most important ecclesiastical centres in Europe in Medieval times,” – undergoing renewal; an evening and night-time scene which boasts more than 70 restaurants; live music venues; a growing independent sector and a range of venues including Reading Museum, the Concert Hall, Hexagon, South Street Arts Centre: “All this offers a real cultural and arts bandwidth,” Lonergan adds. Reading UK CIC’s mission to create a sense of place and culture has come to fruition. Artistically, culturally and economically, there is no doubt that Reading is ready. READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
19
A new home for you or your business, Station Hill is where everything changes. Architecture of character and quality, along with refreshing retail, and diverse residences all combine to create an urban quarter of rare personality and interest. The sustained commitment to regeneration means Reading is blossoming. And we’re at the heart of the town’s future. A fully-managed estate in a contemporary urban setting, Station Hill will be a new concept in working, shopping and living. stationhillreading.co.uk
A development by:
HERITAGE AND CULTURE
READING AGES Reading’s rich cultural heritage is helping to reshape perceptions of the town. James Wood finds that the Abbey Ruins and the ‘forgotten’ monarch who founded them are all part of a year-long celebration of Reading’s history
22
R
eading’s reputation as an economic powerhouse of the south is well established, but what is less well known is that the town has a rich heritage dating back to 871AD. Culture is high on the agenda for Reading in 2016, and in particular, the seldom-told story of Henry I’s 12th century rule of England – the country’s “forgotten king”, as historians dub him – had strong connections with the town. The monarch founded Reading Abbey in 1121, and the tale of his reign is one that theatre production company Reading Between the Lines wants people to know. Excitement is building ahead of its new play, which will tell the story at St James’ Church next to the abbey. The former monarch is also the subject of archaeological and conservation projects this year, with the aim of not only discovering the tomb and remains of Henry I and his second wife, Queen Adeliza, but to reveal previously hidden secrets about the abbey where they are buried, which historians believe are pivotal to Reading’s history. A new chapter is also about to be written about the history of Reading Prison, with plans for extensive redevelopment to follow on from the recent sale of the former detention facility. In the late 19th century, the prison formed the subject of The Ballad of Reading Goal, penned by Oscar Wilde about the time he spent incarcerated there. These are just some of the plans for Reading’s year of culture. Dance, theatre, music, food and literature events are taking place in 2016, supported by Reading Borough Council, The University of Reading, Reading College and economic development company, Reading UK CIC.
The play’s the king In the past, the story of Henry I has perhaps been overlooked in favour of the more famous tales of his royal namesakes – the saga of Henry VIII and his wives, for instance, continues to be told in various ways to this day. Theatre company Reading Between the Lines is hoping to redress the balance by delving into the dark, violent and male-dominated world of the monarch who ruled between 1100 and 1135. More than 100 people were treated to selected scenes from the play, written by Beth Flintoff, at St Bart’s Theatre on 1 April. With Arts Council England funding already secured towards a target of £50,000 for the play, producer Toby Davies believes now is the “perfect time” to be celebrating the town. “We have a fantastic opportunity to tell the story of Reading’s heritage,” he says. The play is due to be performed in November at St James’ Church next to Reading Abbey – the burial site of Henry, the fourth and youngest son of William the Conqueror (see page 25). “Henry I was one of England’s most influential kings, who wrote the first laws of the country, and he’s buried here,” explains Davies. “Famously, Shakespeare did not pen a play about the monarch. Fortunately, this is one that we get to tell.” At first glance, some might conclude that a play about Henry I might be more of a potted history lesson, but that is very far from the case. Popular American fantasy drama Game of Thrones has been an inspiration and the violence of the era is certainly not played down. One scene depicts how Henry I famously ordered his illegitimate granddaughters’ noses to be cut off as reprisal for a similar act against a child held by one of his enemies – hardly the dry stuff of statute and ancient disputes over territory that might be expected when looking back at events that happened 900 years ago. Director Hal Chambers says: “This is a very violent, ruthless world we’re delving into, at a time when you had to be very brutal to be a king. One of the many fascinating things about Henry I was that he tried to make his daughter the Queen of England, something that would have been hugely controversial at the time.” Parallels with today’s world are a particular focus in the play, such as those relating to women’s rights, as Chambers explains: “It’s really fantastic that we had a female writer for this project and she has created some really strong and dominant female characters. The role of women in society was completely marginalised at the time and how the ruling monarch dealt with this is certainly an intriguing part of the plot. “There are many other echoes of the modern world in the themes we have adopted. You still have potential and existing world leaders demonising different sections of society, and it will hopefully feel like elements of the story
23
“There are many echoes of the modern world in the themes we have adopted” Henry I (left) is the subject of a play at St James’ Church in Reading this year. Members of the production company (above) brainstorm ideas for the show.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
HERITAGE AND CULTURE
24
will really reflect some of the things that are happening around the world today.” Producer Davies promises “a large scale, epic performance”, which will be helped by the enlisting of two professional, respected composers from very different musical backgrounds. Benjamin Hudson has had a successful career making music for films, including airtime on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 1. Henry I will be the third Reading Between The Lines play Hudson has composed for; he has previously written music for performances of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet. This time a score has been devised with classicallytrained singer and composer, Rosalind Steele. “We found ourselves in the back room of St John’s Church where Rosalind came up with some great ideas,” says Hudson. “I’ve always been keen to get involved with writing music for theatre, as I mainly write for film. With theatre it’s very different – it’s a much more collaborative process. “We’ve been creating these wonderful pagan-sounding choruses and Gregorian chants. At the moment it’s working really well. I’m trying to keep it as primal and physical as possible.” Reading Between the Lines wants to make people proud of the town. Chambers says: “If we can celebrate Reading’s history in dynamic ways, we can encourage people to find out more about the place in which they live. “I think younger people will find it genuinely exciting too, when they hear the thumping basslines the composers have come up with and witness some of the more gruesome scenes featured.” “There’s going to be a whole new generation talking about ‘our’ king, people taking a new sense of pride in Reading, and realising that history isn’t just something that happens in other towns. Along with many other year of culture events, we expect this play to dismantle the idea that you have to leave Reading to see outstanding theatre.”
Henry I, who ruled around 900 years ago, has captured the imagination of theatre company Reading Between The Lines, which hopes to spread the enthusiasm with a play about the king.
Searching for Henry Researchers are preparing a huge archaeological project to discover the full extent of Reading Abbey – its size, structure and positioning of the old abbey church. There is also hope that the Hidden Abbey project will lead to the discovery of Henry I’s and his second wife, Queen Adeliza’s bodies – buried at the abbey in 1135. If successful, the global press will surely descend on Reading. The world was drawn to the story of the skeleton of Richard III being found by archaeologists beneath a car park in Leicester in February 2013, with equal interest generated when the king’s body was reburied at Leicester Cathedral in 2015. Philippa Langley, the historian who led the discovery of Richard III, is also closely involved in the project in Reading. If Henry I, who lived three centuries earlier, is found, her earlier triumph is likely to be eclipsed. But the search is not going to be easy. For starters, it is likely that only part of the body was brought back to England. After Henry I’s death in western France – apparently the result of the monarch digesting lampreys
“What is really exciting is that we know that Henry was buried in front of the high altar, with members of his family buried in specific locations around him”
Anticipation is mounting as work gets under way on the Hidden Abbey project. Could the archaeological project reveal the body of Henry I?
(jawless fish) – the weather was not good enough to travel to Reading, and his body was taken to Rouen where it was embalmed. His intestines, brain and eyes were apparently buried locally and, weeks later, the rest of his body was taken to Reading. Another tale, this time from the 19th century, suggests that workmen – likely acting on Edward VI’s instructions – targeted the abbey in the 1550s for the king’s silver casket, in which Henry was supposedly buried. Legend has it that his remains were discarded in the process. Langley tells the BBC’s History Extra: “What is really exciting is that we know that Henry was buried in front of the high altar, with members of his family buried in specific locations around him. The thinking in Reading, using current estimates of the size of the abbey, is that this burial spot is located beneath a school. If the abbey is larger, it could be situated underneath either what is today a playground or a car park. That option is considered less likely, but if Henry’s tomb is beneath the car park, that will be very interesting.” The project is due to begin in summer 2016. Permission has been granted from the three owners of the site: Reading Borough Council, the RC Diocese of Portsmouth and the Ministry of Justice. The latter owns the Reading Prison site, which is located alongside the abbey, where part of the excavation will take place. There is a sense of urgency to the project, as the government is planning to sell off the site. English Heritage has pledged its support to carry out ground-penetrating radar research of the abbey area, which will be conducted before the project begins. The archaeological dig will be split into two phases, with the first phase focusing on the abbey church below ground, on land around St James’ Church, Forbury Gardens and the Reading Prison car park. A Channel 4 production company has signed up to film the project for a documentary, due to run later in the year.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
25
HERITAGE AND CULTURE
Past presence
26
Plans to re-open the Abbey Ruins to the public, running in tandem with the Hidden Abbey project, are well advanced. The Heritage Lottery Fund announced a grant of £1.77 million towards the Reading Abbey Revealed project at the end of 2015. Reading Borough Council, which applied for the grant, is providing a further £1.38 million, with a view to the Grade I-listed Abbey Ruins opening fully to the public by summer 2018. This will be complemented by a five-year programme of events and activities in and around the site, ranging from hard-hat tours during the conservation work, to a high profile opening event. Main contractors were due to be appointed to carry out urgently required conservation and stabilisation works to the Abbey Ruins and Abbey Gateway as Reading:UK went to press, with work due to start in September 2016. The Abbey Quarter was known as one of western Europe’s most prestigious religious and political locations in the medieval period. These plans have been prepared following detailed condition surveys and trial repairs, undertaken during the project’s development phase with specialists, architects and in close collaboration with Historic England. The initial development of the project began in the summer of 2014. The council has carried out extensive consultation with stakeholders and the public since then. More than 1,000 Reading residents responded to an online survey conducted in 2015 on the project, indicating widespread public support.
Events are planned for Reading Abbey (below) when it reopens to the public. Oscar Wilde (right) and his poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol, are still talked about around 120 years later.
“Oscar Wilde was incarcerated at the jail in 1895 for homosexuality –then considered a crime”
Ballad of Reading Gaol Alongside Reading Abbey sits the famous early Victorian, Grade II-listed HM Prison Reading, which the government put up for sale in November 2015. Once known as Reading Gaol, the facility dates back to 1844 and gained notoriety during the 1916 Easter Rising when it was used to hold Irish prisoners. Perhaps most famously, Oscar Wilde was incarcerated at the jail in 1895 for homosexuality – then considered a crime of “gross indecency”. His two-year stretch of hard labour while imprisoned at Wandsworth and Reading is said by historians to have contributed to his breakdown. On his release, Wilde was said to be bankrupt and humiliated, and was exiled to France, where he penned one of his most famous poems, The Ballad of Reading Gaol, during the last three years of his life. He died at the age of 45 and is buried at Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. The long poem reflects on the terrible conditions of the prison and general feelings of helplessness while incarcerated; to prisoners the sky is a “little tent of blue”, to Wilde a “casque of scorching steel”. Closed by the Ministry of Justice at the end of 2013, the government announced in 2015 that it hopes a sale of the site will be agreed soon.
An extremely rare penny coin (below) from the reign of Henry I – 11001135 – was sold at auction in London by Spink for £3,200 in March 2016.
A year to savour The Reading 2016 programme is supported by Reading UK CIC, the University of Reading, Reading Borough Council and Reading College, as well as other arts groups and businesses such as M&G’s Forbury Place, Great Western Railway and Green Park. It has received £96,700 from Arts Council England Grants for the Arts funding programme. The rest of 2016 will see a different cultural theme each month: • • • • • • •
June: Eat Reading – Canvas of Crumbs: The Reading Biscuit Experience A visit from Bake Off queen Nadiya Hussain A three-day street food festival The return of the Reading Chilli Festival July: Art in Unusual Places – SITELINES site specific theatre August: Music in Reading September: #MadeinReading October: Reading in Reading November: Dance Reading December: Light Reading
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
27
DEVELOPMENT SPACE: MAP
MAP READING
River Thames
Oxford Road
Business space in Reading A closer look at the development schemes that have happened and are coming up – see investinreading.co.uk
Reading
Reading West
M4
A4 A4
Theale 06
A33
28 M4 01
M4
Madejski Stadium 19 02
Key Business Parks 01 Green Park 02 Reading International Business Park 03 Thames Valley Science Park 04 Thames Valley Park 05 Winnersh Triangle 06 Arlington Business Park 07 Suttons Business Park 08 Reading Enterprise Centre
Railway line Railway station Waterway
Offices 01 Reading Bridge House 02 Royal Mail Sorting Office 03 Abbey Gardens 04 Forbury Place estate 05 The White Building 06 One Valpy 07 Thames Tower (complete spring 2017) 08 Station Hill (construction in 2016) 09 R+ 10 9 Greyfriars Road 11 Apex Plaza 12 The Blade 13 Alpha Building 14 Aquis House 15 Abbey Gate 16 Phoenix House 17 Sapphire Plaza 18 3 Queens Road Convention Centre 19 Royal Elm Park
By train
CAVERSHAM
London Paddington: 24 minutes Heathrow: 56 minutes
A4 04
A4
07
A329(M) A4
A3290 University of Reading
08
Winnersh Triangle A329(M)
Earley 05
Winnersh M4
Reading town centre A33 01 02 16
Reading 08
11 07
03
Oxford Road
10
04
09 14 06
12
03
The Oracle
05
18
Abbey Ruins 15
13
17
A329
A4
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
29
MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY
WITH THE ROYALS
Our 2016/17 campaign kicks off in August and you can register your interest in matchday hospitality right now. From entertaining clients to rewarding members of your team or relaxing with friends and family we’re certain we can provide the perfect day out. Simply call us on 0118 968 1010, email hospitality@readingfc.co.uk or visit readingfc.co.uk to find out more.
OCCUPIER OPPORTUNITIES TOWN CENTRE
31 The Station Hill mixed-use scheme will include office space, retail and new homes. A temporary events space and cafe was due to open at the site in June 2016.
Station Hill The largest mixed-use scheme in the Thames Valley, Station Hill will include 86,399sq m of office space in four buildings, 8,360sq m of retail and more than 471 homes. Developer Stanhope obtained outline planning permission for the two-hectare site next to Reading station in December 2013. Work is being carried out in partnership with Benson Elliot. The demolition phase started in April 2015. It included taking down the derelict Western Tower floor by floor over a number of months until November 2015.
Around 90% of the rubble from the tower was recycled on-site and will be used to prepare the ground for the next phases. Phase one of the development is ongoing, and will continue with the demolition of the existing office buildings and shopping centre. In the meantime, a temporary events space will open at the site in June 2016. Named the Biscuit Tin, in reference to the town’s industrial heritage in biscuit manufacturing, it will provide a space for community and cultural events for local people. It will be open to the public 24 hours
a day, seven days a week and be used as a venue for a variety of events, including live music, film screenings and stand-up comedy acts. It will also feature a temporary cafe, and could be in place for up to 10 years. In February 2016 Stanhope was authorised to include its recently purchased Telecom House office block on Friar Street into the existing outline planning consent for the site. This adds 12,000sq m of residential development, which could create up to 281 flats, bringing the scheme’s expected number of homes to 471 in total. READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
DEVELOPMENT SPACE
R+
High quality office space in Reading town centre includes developments such as Forbury Place, Thames Tower, R+ and 9 Greyfriars.
The six-storey office building known as R+, between Forbury Road, Blagrave Street and Valpy Street, provides 9,680sq m of office space, which is rated BREEAM excellent. Located 50 metres from Reading station, the building features a 225sq m, double height reception, as well as 633sq m of terraces, 42 car spaces, including six charging points, and 77 cycle bays. Gardens can be found on the fourth and fifth floors, and the building also features showers and changing facilities. Funded by M&G Real Estate, with Sisk as the building contractor, the scheme was granted planning permission in 2010. Work started in November 2014 and was completed in May 2016.
32
Thames Tower Located on Reading’s central pedestrian piazza opposite the station, Thames Tower will provide a total of 17,484sq m of office space across 15 floors. A joint venture between Landid and Brockton Capital, the scheme involved the regeneration of an 11-storey block, originally built between 1972 and 1974. The project was granted planning permission in July 2015 and work started shortly after. The original building was stripped back to the frame, the floorplates extended and four floors added. A 124sq m roof top terrace will provide views across the town and the Thames Valley. The ground floor will be occupied by a 291sq m reception and 743sq m of restaurant, cafe and retail space. Work is due for completion in the first quarter of 2017.
Forbury Place Development at Forbury Place estate, by M&G Real Estate and Bell Hammer, offers 55,740sq m office space across three buildings in Reading town centre, along with 450 parking spaces, double height receptions, central atria and terraces on upper floors overlooking the historic Forbury Gardens. Two of the buildings, No. 1 and No. 3, are already complete, while work at No. 2 is under way. Located at the site’s eastern end, No. 1 was fully let to energy company SSE in 2015. The building has been shortlisted for ‘Deal of the Year’ and ‘Development of the Year’ at the 2016
OAS Development Awards, and was also shortlisted for ‘Deal of the Year’ at the Thames Valley Property Awards. Work at No. 3 started at the end of 2015 and was completed in April 2016. This building offers around 20,903sq m office space with reception, estate landscaping, a ground floor cafe, 89 car parking spaces on ground and lower ground levels, and 16 external spaces. Around 8,200sq m of space is still currently available. Construction of No. 2 started in January 2016. The building will consist of 17,650sq m and is due to complete in summer 2017.
9 Greyfriars The four-floor office building on 9 Greyfriars Road, offering 3,710sq m office space and rated BREEAM ‘excellent’, was due to be ready for occupiers in June 2016. Located three minutes’ walk from Reading station and developed by McKay Securities, it includes a 852sq m reception, 143sq m roof terrace, 19 car parking spaces and secure storage for 19 bicycles. It will be the first building in Reading to achieve an EPC rating A for its energy efficiency, high sustainability and low carbon credentials, providing low operating costs: energy expenses are estimated to be £8.54 per sq m per annum, compared to £50.50 per sq m for a typical UK office. READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
33
DEVELOPMENT SPACE
RESIDENTIAL
New residential development King’s Point (right), in Reading town centre, will provide new homes in a waterside setting.
34
King’s Point Plans for the £20 million King’s Point scheme involve the demolition of a former office block on King’s Road and the development of a 17-storey building providing 103 new homes. A planning application lodged by Carrigmay Developments for the 0.13-ha site received the green light in summer 2015, and construction started in spring 2016. The building, designed by Assael Architecture, will include cascading roof gardens and canal frontage, as well as commercial space and new public realm.
Reading Gateway Reading Borough Council has granted planning permission for a development consisting of 175 new homes, 4,645sq m of retail, warehousing and a 120-bed hotel, on a site close to junction 11 of the M4. Plans for the 8.20-ha Reading Gateway site, lodged by Kier Property in November 2015, were given the green light in March 2016. The site previously hosted office and research buildings, which were demolished in 2010. It had been vacant since, and was occasionally used as a car park during events at the nearby Madejski Stadium. Subject to finalising a Section 106 agreement with the council, the proposed mixed-use scheme
will also comprise 12 commercial units split into two blocks, two car showrooms, two restaurants, a coffee shop and a bank. The site will be divided into two sections, connected by a pedestrian link: the new homes will be located to the north of the site, while the commercial development will be placed to the south. Access will be improved, with a new four-arm roundabout to serve the commercial side, and vehicle access to the residential development at the northeastern end of Imperial Way. Landscaping is also proposed around the perimeter of the site and within the commercial area. Construction will start in early summer 2016.
Advising businesses since 1887 www.boyesturner.com Abbots House, Abbey Street, Reading
twice since 2010
Not all law firms are the same
370,000 SQ FT OF OPPORTUNITY Already this year, we’ve leased over 370,000 sq ft of our warehouse and business property across the Thames Valley. That’s space for 29 companies, as diverse as Iceland, Travis Perkins, Clean Linen Services and the South Central Ambulance Service. We create the environments that enable them to run their unique operations, achieve their goals and grow. When brilliant businesses find outstanding spaces, extraordinary things happen.
segro.com
@SEGROplc
01753 537171
BUSINESS PARKS
37
Thames Valley Science Park Located to the south of the M4 in south Reading, Thames Valley Science Park will be the biggest dedicated science business park in the region and one of the largest in the south-east, providing 7,430sq m of flexible laboratory and office space. Its aim is to bring emerging technology businesses together in a 17-ha campus-style site with shared facilities, to encourage interaction and networking. It will have the potential to employ up to 5,000 people. Proposals for the park received outline planning permission in 2010, and detailed consent for the first phase was granted in August 2015, with work due to start in summer 2016. Graham Construction has been appointed as building contractor. Funding of £36 million for the initial stage of the development was announced by the University of Reading in January 2016. It will be invested in the Gateway Building, marking the entrance to the site, which will house the first group of technology firms – to be announced from autumn 2016. The Gateway will provide office and laboratory space with a cafe, conference facilities
and flexible meeting spaces. It will be the first of four buildings set to be developed on the site. The first phase will also establish the main infrastructure, including links to utilities, cycle and pedestrian routes, and landscaping work. The £36 million investment includes a £3 million contribution towards the eastern relief road, running eastward from a new bridge over the M4, to provide access to the site. An additional £25 million of Homes and Communities Agency funding was secured for the 1.8km road, due to be completed in June. David Gillham, director of Thames Valley Science Park, said that his ambition was to create a science park “with international structure and reputation”. University of Reading vice-chancellor, David Bell, added: “The Thames Valley Science Park will generate jobs, promote innovation and stimulate growth – nurturing startups and helping small firms grow rapidly. We are proud to be investing in the region, a major powerhouse of the British economy. This initial building phase means we are on track to open next year, with the first wave of tenants confirmed later in 2016.” The project is expected to take up to 25 years to complete.
With £36 million funding from the University of Reading, the first phase of the Thames Valley Science Park is expected to open next year.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
DEVELOPMENT SPACE
38
The awardwinning Winnersh Triangle features the four-storey 1060 Eskdale Road office building, with a communal green space.
39
Winnersh Triangle Awarded Business Park of the Year at the Thames Valley Business Awards in May 2016, the 34-ha Winnersh Triangle business park is expanding. In April Patrizia UK completed a new £27 million, 18,288sq m, four-storey office building at 1030 Eskdale Road. The new scheme includes a communal green space, which the developer said will host a variety of events. Work was carried out in partnership with Wates Construction and started in November 2014. Agents JLL, Strutt & Parker and Vail Williams are jointly marketing the building. “The completion of 1030 Eskdale Road at Winnersh Triangle marks the conclusion of an efficient build programme and one that fulfils Patrizia's objective to create a prime commercial space at the heart of a vibrant business hub,” said Peter Whitmore, business unit director at Wates Construction. Winnersh Triangle, managed by Patrizia, provides a total of 445,000sq m of office, industrial and amenity space including a hotel with restaurant, conference and leisure facilities. READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
DEVELOPMENT SPACE
CONVENTION CENTRE The Royal Elm Park scheme will include a state-ofthe-art convention centre, hundreds of homes, green space and a 246-room hotel.
40
Royal Elm Park Proposals for Royal Elm Park include establishing a state-of-the-art convention centre, with more than 600 homes, a new public square and a hotel on the land next to the Madejski Stadium. An outline planning application was submitted to Reading Borough Council in February 2016. Plans were designed by Reading Football Club (RFC), to bring forward the development proposal, promoted by a team of consultants led by RFC chief executive Nigel Howe. The scheme is eventually expected to bring more than 1,000 full-time jobs to Reading. Central to the proposal is The International, a 25,000sq m convention centre designed to accommodate more than 6,000 delegates and provide adaptable spaces and an ice rink. It has been designed to act as a catalyst for
investment and job creation in and around Reading. It will also host business meetings, conferences, exhibitions and live entertainment including music, sport and comedy. A bridged walkway will connect The International to the existing Millennium Madejski Hotel and the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre. If plans are approved, around 600 homes will be built, including studios, one and two-bedroom apartments, three-bed family homes and four-bed townhouses. Many of the properties will overlook a new, 10,000sq m public park. The developers have said that over 80% of Reading residents and businesses that responded to the preapplication public consultation were supportive of the project. Proposals also include the creation of an 8,000sq m public square with seating, cafes and restaurants, available for street-food markets,
open-air exhibitions or outdoor cinema screenings. The developer said the square will be capable of hosting major events and crowds attending football matches in the nearby stadium. At night it will be illuminated by lighting patterns projected on to the square’s surface. In addition, the scheme also features a 246-room hotel and 102 serviced apartments with a spa and winter garden. Transport improvements will include a new hub providing bus stops for local and match day buses and conference centre shuttle buses, a multi-storey car park with space for 616 vehicles as well as almost 300 cycle spaces. Subject to planning consent, work should start in late 2016, with completion of the hotel and convention centre expected for 2018, and the residential element phased over five years until 2021.
Bromley
Investment opportunities in the London Borough of Bromley
ble. We design living spaces with sharers in mind, providing ce of communal areas and privacy. Through developing and vibrant, social places to live, we are determined that renters find a home that is flexible enough to suit their lifestyle.
essentialliving.uk.com
place housing zone for Meridian Water
Issue 3 Winter 2014
Trading place
Bromley North: cafe culture comes to town
An exciting new development a stone’s throw from Newcastle City Centre
Building and regenerating
Quality streets – upping communities throughout London the stakes in retail
The exciting transformation of Newcastle’s west end has begun on the banks of the famous River Tyne. The Rise is the first phase of a £265 million regeneration project which will deliver 1,800
enquiries@sherrygreenhomes.co.uk www.sherrygreenhomes.co.uk
020 8551 9999 www.mulalley.co.uk
modern homes, while creating jobs and training opportunities for hundreds of local people. Skill building University Technical College breeds success The 60 hectare site will feature its own community energy centre and carefully designed, Artisticgreen license Creative talent thrives in Medway public spaces to support the development of a truly green and sustainable community. Pride of place Chatham’s designs living is New Tyne West Development Behind the North East’s largest housing ledfor regeneration Company, a public-private partnership comprising Newcastle City Council and developers Rich heritage 800 years of history Barratt Homes and Keepmoat.
renaissancenewcastle.com
ISSUE 3 WINTER 2014
Welcome to the Future of Renting
Autumn/Winter 2015/16 Issue Six
A family owned, award winning company with a reputation as a dynamic organisation committed to exceeding clients expectations. Delivering high quality regeneration projects throughout London and the South East of England for over 40 years.
winter 2015
ge
issue eight: autumn 2013
Opportunities galore for investors and developers
For further information log on to www.therise.info
9
Inside: Marine and offshore, creative and digital, asset management, decision makers and game changers . . .
24/10/2011 11:53
ISSUE TWO SPR
The regeneration magazine for the London Borough of Ealing/issue 07/spring ‘16
es retail space
The Local Partner
- 94,000sqm+ new office space - 5 new Crossrail stations
d
BOLD BARKING AND DAGENHAM
G BY 2026
EALING IN LONDON
ISSUE 2 SPRING 2015
Leisure takes off
Space for enterprise
investment in facilities – exercise, sport, healthier living
Wider reach
business growth – startups, SMEs, support, advice, premises
Perfect picture: Studios and support for artists
Bu i l d / I n n o v a t e / Gr o w Ha r r o w
Rolling river: culture and housing along the riverside Top town: the transformation of Barking’s centre
FREEDOM TO WORK
Bu i l d / I n n o v a t e / Gr o w
Barking and Dagenham
• 132 new homes • 11-screen Cineworld
multiplex cinema • Family-themed
restaurants
Ha r r o w
Swan is committed to supporting Barking and Dagenham to deliver its vision for regeneration.
Details correct at time of going to press. Computer generated image.
West Lo
Citygrove Securities is proud to be working in Hillingdon. Creating a new heart for South Ruislip, with new homes and further retail and leisure facilities for local residents.
ISSUE 2
• Asda foodstore • 536 new jobs • Landscaped public
open space Swan Group have over 20 years of experience of delivering homes and regeneration in East London and South Essex and a reputation for delivering innovative, sustainable homes and exemplary communities.
ginlondon.com www.nuliving.co.uk
LONDON
www.swan.org.uk
COMING SOON 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom luxury apartments
0203 5385708 redrow.co.uk/lyonsquare Issue 6 Spring 2016 boldmagazine.co.uk
Find out more at: www.citygrovesouthruislip.com
Enquiries: 10 Albemarle Street London W1S 4HH Tel 020 7647 1700 georgehardcastle@citygrove.com
₂
Vin
ISSUE TWO SPRING 2015
ISSUE 6 SPRING 2016
issue 7 2016
To discuss partnership opportunities that can make a difference, contact Graham Kauders, Senior New Business Manager, on 01277844231 or GKauders@swan.org.uk.
CENTRA – TU
93% of readers say our magazines influence their opinion of places to invest *
*93.3% of respondents to an independent survey of magazine readers in 2009
+44 (0)20 7978 6840 3foxinternational.com
Issue 1
To explore your development opportunities
Visit www.investhounslow.com enquiries@investhounslow.com | @investhounslow
Exciting plans for the west of the borough include: | New homes | Improved retail and commercial opportunities | New jobs | Enhanced parks with better access | | Improved leisure and recreational facilities | Upgraded rail links and much more
F U LL S P E E D
Great West
Great West Investment destination: Hounslow
GA R D E N C I TY
Canada Water From workplace to living space, new communities are springing up from the old dockyards
While we are waiting Development plans don’t mean mothballing – meanwhile use works sites as creative spaces
Project plan Updates and news from the new era of schemes planned and under way around the borough
Home grown On target thecrystal.org to deliver the homes that Southwark needs – 10 years of award-winning schemes
southwark
Investment destination: Hounslow
Issue 14 Spring 2016
the world’s most
LONDON’S HOTSPOT: EAST LONDON ISSUE F
sustainable
events venue
Creating a new garden city in the Garden of England
OVER
Regeneration generation Retrospective – a decade of transformation in the borough, chronicled by Southwark magazine
LONDON’S HOTSPOT: EAST LONDON ISSUE FOUR_2014
southwark
Summer 2016
No.
Fully integrated state-of-the-art technology 270 seat auditorium Award winning catering
01
bridge
C O MMUNI T Y Homes, schools, shopping and leisure – from development sites to town
mer 2013 —
4
@thecrystalorg
DREAMS, VISIONS BECOME REALITY www.facebook.com/thecrystalorg
1 Siemens Brothers Way, London, E16 1GB
PLUS
P
HELP TO BUY READING:UK
#1 | Winter 2014 Investing in the Greater Brighton City Region
A NEW WAY TO MOVE WITH JUST A 5% DEPOSIT
It doesn’t matter whether you’re renting, living with family/friends or you’re at the stage where you’re looking to move up the property ladder or just need more space for you growing family – the Governmentbacked Help to Buy scheme could be the key. You require just a 5% deposit and it is available to both first The magazine time buyers and homeowners. for business
in Reading…
Kingley Gate, Worthing Road (A259), Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 (Opposite Eldon Way, off the A259)
This stunning new development brings a superior collection of two, three and four bedroom properties to Worthing. Choose an apartment or family home at Cissbury Chase and you can enjoy bright and roomy living areas and generous outdoor spaces.
Kingley Gate is an exciting new development for north-west Littlehampton offering two, three and four bedroom houses. This expansive new neighbourhood will bring 600 premium new homes, contemporary employment space, stunning landscaped grounds and comprehensive amenities.
3 bedroom homes from £249,995
Derby’s regeneration magazine
Cissbury Chase, Bolsover Road, Worthing BN13 1NS
capturing the imagination
★
Christchurch Bridge, Caversham
perspective
Investing in the Greater Brighton City Region
Reading Station Area Regeneration
EAST ON F HACKNEY’S ELBA: LUTH
From drawings and models, sites and wastelands, buildings arise as homes and workplaces, where communities gather
6 Summer 2016
ENTRY+ WICKSHIRE
EngINVESTMENT TO THE REGION
CIVIC PRIDE: COUNCIL DOWNSIZES
A fabulous future for Feltham - an artist impression of how the town centre could look from the Feltham Parklands
NT MAGAZINE ISSUE TWO support Reading’s most important nd infrastructure projects
DING THE UK’S VE AND NG RESEARCH
STARCHITECTS: RETHINK HOUNSLOW
Issue 14 Spring 2016
C O MME RC E Bluewater’s established success – and London Paramount’s huge ambition
Issue 5 2016
C ONNE C T I VI T Y London, Paris, Brussels – the high-speed train arrived before Ebbsfleet was built
wakefield’s blooming visitor economy THRILL
WAKEFIELD SIGHTS BOOST
Street wise – urban art Wish you’d built here?
Derby’s regeneration magazine /issue number seven
BBC MONITORING
42
THIS IS THE NEWS A stately mansion set on the outskirts of Reading may not naturally spring to mind when discussing the Cuban missile crisis, but as Ruth McKee finds out, the home of the BBC Monitoring service played a crucial role in a number of world events
T
he stately home nestled in woodland on the outskirts of Reading looks much like any other across the country. Those driving past Caversham Park along the A2390 would never know the key role that highly trained operatives within the walls of the Grade II-listed building played in both the second world war and the cold war. To this day, behind the grand facades of the Victorian pile, some of the most expert and skilled members of the BBC listen to world changing news events playing out across the world stage. They are not part of a faceless news aggregation machine, totting up algorithms and logging website hits – these monitors are trained to listen to broadcasts from around the world and know by the slightest colloquial turn of phrase or odd idiom that seismic political change is afoot. It was from behind these walls that Nazi propaganda was countered, people within this building brought the world back from the brink of a third world war, and staffers here have tuned in to radio broadcasts from some of the most restrictive and secretive regimes in the world. Almost on the eve of war in August 1939, the BBC Monitoring service was born as a round-the-clock listening, translating and transcribing project – a way to find out what governments were telling their citizens across the world. With the BBC in London known to be a prime target for bombing raids, the monitoring service decamped to Wood Norton, near Evesham in Worcestershire. Staffed by bilingual, first and second generation immigrants and gifted linguistic scholars, the service
The BBC Monitoring service, situated at Caversham Park on the outskirts of Reading, has played a pivotal role in many world events.
43
listened to thousands of news broadcasts a day, transcribed them and filed reports which were then circulated to all government departments. By 1943 the scale of the operation was so large the monitors moved to the more spacious Caversham Park where, by 1944, monitors were listening to around one and a half million words a day in 32 languages. READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
BBC MONITORING
44
“To this day, some of the most expert and skilled members of the BBC listen to world changing news events” Historian and expert on the BBC World Service and Monitoring Service Dr Alban Webb, who lectures in digital humanities at the University of Sussex, has delved into the history of the service in his book London Calling: Britain, the BBC World Service and the Cold War. He explains that the work the monitors did was a crucial part of the war effort. “A good example of how the monitoring service worked is that during the war, German high command would make broadcasts overnight,” he says. “The BBC was able to listen to that broadcast, which included a list of soldiers who would be awarded medals, and then the BBC German service would immediately broadcast this before it had been reported anywhere else.” “This is important psychologically as it told German listeners that their enemy was better informed than their own government,” he adds. As the iron curtain descended following the second world war, and the Soviet Union cut itself off from western Europe, both British and American governments relied even more on the work of the monitors. Webb argues that the service’s finest hour came at the height of the cold war.
The work of monitors such as those at Caversham Park played a vital role during the cold war, particularly so during the Cuban missile crisis.
In the autumn of 1962 the United States and the Soviet Union were gripped in the stalemate of the Cuban missile crisis. America was threatening war over the Soviets’ erection of a number of missile launch facilities in Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. As October wore on and diplomatic relations between the two world powers ground to a complete halt, the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev decided to diffuse tensions in the most effective way possible. Webb explains: “Krushchev realises diplomatic channels are moving too slowly. As a result he broadcasts his intentions on Moscow radio – knowing the BBC would be monitoring the broadcast. “The key thing is a broadcast at 2.05pm on 28 October 1962 GMT. He says: ‘The Soviet government has issued a new order for the weapons you describe as offensive to be dismantled, packed up and returned to the Soviet Union’. “The monitor hears this snap, and hands it to the editors who telegram it straight to Number 10 and Admiralty House. The PM and his entourage were actually having lunch at Admiralty House and were about to go into a meeting about moving into the military phase of the conflict. “BBC Monitoring also makes sure this information goes straight to the White House because the monitors know this changes everything.” In this age of being able to access any information from anywhere in the world at the tap of an icon on your phone, is there still a place for a dedicated monitoring service? Webb is adamant the service is “vital” and should be fought for. “One of the challenges for BBC Monitoring is that people don’t know about it – because of the nature of their work they have been under the radar. “It is a gem of an institution and of global significance – it does something really important. If more people knew of its work, they would scream to preserve it.”
Reading:UK partners group Joining together to support Reading
READING:UK Haslams Estate Agents Tim Harding tim.harding@haslams.net
Winnersh Triangle Will Lawrie will.lawrie@patrizia.ag
Sitematch London Paul Gussar paul@3foxinternational.com
3Fox International Paul Gussar paul@3foxinternational.com
For more information visit readingukmagazine.com/partners
“A reputation for high-quality, high-value expertise and often regarded as a cost-effective alternative to a City firm.� Chambers UK
As Reading continues to grow and evolve, so do we. Proud to call Reading our home since 1733, we are ranked as a leading top tier firm and provide a full range of commercial legal services to our clients.
Excellence | Integrity | Approachability
www.blandy.co.uk | law@blandy.co.uk Blandy & Blandy LLP, One Friar Street, Reading, RG1 1DA
READING INTERNATIONAL: PHARMVILLE
47
With a science park being developed by the university and more pharma companies taking space at Green Park, Reading’s standing in the sector is booming, as David Harris finds out
R
eading’s reputation as a centre for pharmaceutical companies is on the up, and the sector has developed a strong presence at Green Park in particular. Bayer is due to move its head office from Newbury to the Reading business park later in 2016, taking 7,432.2sq m at South Oak Way. Other pharmaceutical companies already at Green Park include Quintiles, which moved from Bracknell in 2013, and Britannia Pharmaceuticals, which set up there in 2015. READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
READING INTERNATIONAL
“Green Park has had proper investment in its landscaping and retail offer, which makes it a place where people want to work”
48
So what makes Green Park so attractive to these companies? Charles Dady, who heads the south-east office agency for Cushman & Wakefield, believes that Reading’s offering of the right staff and good employee retention rates are key. He adds that part of this is that Green Park’s former owner, Oxford Properties, made it a good place to work: “Green Park has had proper investment in its landscaping and the retail offer, which makes it a place where people want to work. Recruitment and retention are vital to the companies that are there.” Dady points out that Oxford Properties’ return on investment since they bought Green Park five years ago has been impressive. When they took over, the 106,877sq m business park was just 40% occupied. The occupancy rate is now 93% and plans are under way to develop a further 94,000sq m to make space for future tenants. Planning consent has already been granted and could deliver a business park of around 207,174sq m. It has now been sold to Mapletree Investments (see page 11).
Pharmaceutical companies are among those attracted to space at landscaped business facility, Green Park (top). A science park (above) is opening in south Reading.
The town’s pharmaceutical boom does not depend solely on Green Park. The University of Reading is also developing a science park in south Reading, adding to the companies it already hosts on campus. Phase one of the Thames Valley Science Park is scheduled to open in September 2017. David Gillham, executive director of Thames Valley Science Park, says: “Green Park is a classic business park with headquarter-type buildings. What we do at the science park is slightly different. Our space is specialist, with laboratories, and is more suitable for corporate R&D work. The two are complementary.” Tenants such as Menarini Biotech have already taken space on the university campus with a view to putting an R&D facility at the Thames Valley Science Park next year. Gillham believes that part of Reading’s attraction is that it is close to the capital: “They had a choice of Reading or Oxford and they picked us.” With the Elizabeth line coming to the town in 2019, Reading’s appeal is unlikely to wane any time soon.
THE BLADE SH R PATD HIN KIN RAE IN GG
An iconic design delivering unparalleled corporate prominence • Office space available to let from 2,178 - 30,959 sq ft • A high quality Grade A specification • Flexible opportunites • Already home to a diverse mix of successful companies • Centrally located, with a wealth of amenities nearby • A ‘Very Good’ BREAAM rating Letting Agents
Letting Agents Letting Agents
Roddy A roddy.ab +44 (0)20
Top floor let to
Ryan De ryan.dea +44 (0)20
Roddy Abram roddy.abram@knightfrank.com A development by +44 (0)20 7861 1280
Letting Agents
Ryan Dean ryan.dean@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1672 Emma Goodford emma.goodford@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1144
A development by
A development by
roddy.abram@knightfrank.com neilseager@haslams.co.uk +44 (0)20 7861 1280 +44 (0)118 921 1516 thebladereading.com
ryan.dean@knightfrank.com eilidhmcallister@haslams.co.uk Neil Seager +44 (0)20 7861 1672 +44 (0)118 921 1517 neilseager@haslams.co.uk Roddy Abram +44 (0)118 921 1516
roddy.abram@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1280 Eilidh McAllister
eilidhmcallister@haslams.co.uk Ryan Dean +44 (0)118 921 1517
thebladereading.com thebladereading.com
thebladereading.com
ryan.dean@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1672
Emma Goodford emma.goodford@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1144
Sim Khatkar
Roddy Abram roddy.abram@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1280 Ryan Dean ryan.dean@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1672 Emma Goodford emma.goodford@knightfrank.com +44 (0)20 7861 1144
Emma G emma.go +44 (0)20
Neil Seag neilseage +44 (0)11
Eilidh Mc eilidhmc +44 (0)11
simkhatkar@brayfoxsmith.com +44 (0)203 362 4347
richardharding@brayfoxsmith.com +44 (0)203 362 4349
Neil Seager neilseager@haslams.co.uk +44 (0)118 921 1516 Eilidh McAllister eilidhmcallister@haslams.co.uk +44 (0)118 921 1517
Sim Khat simkhatk +44 (0)20
Richard richardha +44 (0)20
MARKETS
VITAL STATISTICS Fourth highest startup rate in the UK: 71 startups per 10,000 inhabitants (Cities Outlook 2016)
ONE OF THE MOST ENTREPRENEURIAL CITIES IN THE UK (LSH UK VITALITY INDEX 2015) TO LONDON 24 minutes to London Paddington by train: 16 trains per hour 50
48 minutes by car: 40 miles TO HEATHROW 56 minutes by train: four trains per hour
2nd highest concentration of SMEs Small Business Outlook 2015, Centre for Cities
50 minutes by coach: three coaches per hour 34 minutes by car: 28 miles ELIZABETH LINE (OPENING IN 2019) One hour to London: Liverpool Street 38 minutes to Heathrow
£900 million invested in rail infrastructure to double the town’s train capacity
1
No.
tech cluster in the UK, with three times the national average of tech companies KPMG/Tech Monitor 2015
of the world’s top 30 brands are located in Reading. occupiers include Microsoft, Bayer, PepsiCo and Barclays
Top spot highest-ranking city in the Good Growth Index 2015 PWC/Demos – based on 10 categories viewed as key to economic success and wellbeing
Fourth highest average weekly workplace wages: £619
95.5%
Cities Outlook 2016
of residents of working age have formal qualifications cities outlook 2016
47.5%
of residents educated to graduate level or above. Fifth highest percentage in the UK Cities Outlook 2016
Fifth highest rise in house prices nationally in 2014-15 (9.4%)
£343,500 Average house price in 2015 Cities Outlook 2016
SECOND HIGHEST GVA PER WORKER IN THE UK: £70,900 Cities Outlook 2016
2
nd
most prosperous city in the UK (Barclays UK Prosperity Map 2015)
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
51
MARKETS INTELLIGENCE
52
PULLING POWER With Bayer and Thales announcing a move to one of Reading’s biggest business parks in early 2016, and from 2019, the town featuring on the famous Transport for London tube map, Maria Shahid discovers a place with a big draw for business
L
ocated less than half an hour’s train journey from London Paddington, Reading frequently features as a commuter hotspot for “priced-out Londoners”. But as any passenger who has taken that short train ride from Paddington to Reading in the rush hour will know, Reading attracts thousands of commuters of its own. Pharma company Bayer and electronic systems organisation Thales are just two of the big names to have announced a relocation to the town in early 2016 – both are moving to Green Park, and others are sure to follow in their footsteps, notably EY, which is reportedly looking for around 6,500sq m of office space in the town. February saw the town ranked as one of Europe’s top 25 cities of the future by fDi, a Financial Times publication. The bi-annual European Cities of the Future awards assess cities across Europe for their attractiveness for future inward investment, and listed Reading in 21st place in its rankings. The same report voted Reading as the second most business friendly small city in Europe, based on factors such as the number and proportion of companies in hi-tech and knowledge-based industries; foreign direct investment, and the number of FT global companies located in the city. Sue Brackley, economic development manager for Reading UK CIC, which submitted Reading’s entry, says: “These awards recognise Reading’s compelling offer to business and investors.” Meanwhile, commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton’s (LSH) Thames Valley Office Market report (2015) noted that location was “the stand-out primary factor” driving final acqusitions; it goes a long way
Green Park attracts big international names such as PepsiCo, and from 2019 Crossrail trains will stop at Reading station, now on TfL’s Elizabeth line.
to explaining Reading’s appeal to large corporates. Reading station has undergone a £900 million revamp and, in addition to the existing Reading to Paddington trains, from 2019, the Elizabeth line will allow passengers to travel from Reading through to central London without having to change trains. For the first time the town features on the Transport for London tube map. Connections to Heathrow are also due for an upgrade meaning that journeys to the airport could take less than 30 minutes. By road, the nearby M4 offers fast connections to the rest of the country. Reading’s location and connectivity certainly played a big part in a fourth place ranking in the UK Vitality Index published by LSH. The index considered all cities and towns outside London for the health of their economy, and how well placed they are to support business growth and provide the greatest opportunity for business expansion. Tom Fletcher, head of office for LSH in Reading, says:
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
53
MARKETS INTELLIGENCE
“Connections to Heathrow are also due for an upgrade” 54
Centre for Cities success The Centre for Cities research focuses on the UK’s 63 largest towns and cities.
“It’s no surprise that Reading once again performed so well in the UK Vitality Index. Reading provides a fantastic platform for business growth due to its ever-improving connectivity to London and Heathrow, quality living environment and skilled workforce.” And it’s not just big names like Bayer and Thales that are choosing to be based in Reading. Tech City in its Tech Nation 2016 report ranks Reading and Bracknell in second place for digital turnover, with only London placed ahead of it. The report notes that the town has one of the largest digital tech workforces and one of the highest densities of digital tech businesses in the country. It goes on to say: “The University of Reading and a high level of experienced industry talent have also made the cluster attractive internationally.” A Savills Reading Offices Market Watch notes that in 2015, Reading reinforced its identity as one of the core markets outside central London, with rents expected to reach £35 per sq ft in the town by the end of 2016. If early signs are anything to go by, this optimism is certainly not misplaced.
Journeys from Reading to Heathrow (above) could soon take less than half an hour. Thales (left) has announced a relocation to Reading.
The 2016 Cities Outlook report provides a “health check” of the largest towns and cities in the UK, and noted that Reading has the second highest gross value added (GVA) per worker (after London) of £70,900 in 2014. GVA is described as a measure of productivity as well as innovation, in the report. The town’s workplace wages are one of the highest in the UK. In 2015 these stood at an average of £619 per week. Reading also took fourth place in a table measuring business dynamics, which is a key indicator of the health of a city’s economy. Its business startups per 10,000 of population stood at 71 in 2014. At 75.7%, the town has the ninth highest employment rate, and the sixth lowest claimant count for unemployment. Reading fared particularly well in terms of skill levels – 47.6% of its working age population has a qualification at NVQ4 or above.
The benefits of London without the overheads and hassle
Make Reading your next move Tailored support to help your move to Reading The smart route to practical information on living and working in Reading Reading UK CIC, the economic development company for Reading, provides services for businesses, developers and investors.
Contact:
• Free advice and practical support
Tel: 0118 937 4340
• Business intelligence and research
Email: sue@livingreading.co.uk
Sue Brackley, Economic Development Manager
• Support with recruitment and employment needs • Property agent contacts • Networking and introductions • Reading branding and media • Staff relocation • After care
www.investinreading.co.uk
We’re proud to support Reading’s most important development and infrastructure projects
6 Summer 2016
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading…
Reading Station Area Regeneration Thames Tower and Station Hill, Reading
Christchurch Bridge, Caversham
Visit peterbrett.com or Twitter @peterbrettllp to find out how your next project could be #poweredbyPBA.
READING:UK The magazine for business in Reading
PBA has been supporting development and economic growth across Reading for more than 50 years. Our innovative and forward-thinking advice maximises value for our clients and the local community. From infrastructure to land development to the built environment, our work in taking projects through planning, design and delivery across the region has transformed how people live, work and play.
Winning place, connected base, arts space