Ex-Thames Water site set for industrial units

There will be three new commercial units under the plans

A former Thames Water building is set to be demolished to make way for new industrial units, despite the site initially being earmarked for flats.

Rose Kiln Court, located between the A33 and Rose Kiln Lane in Coley, Reading, was occupied by Thames Water until October 2020.

A development company applied to convert it into flats but a councillor argued proximity to busy roads made it unsuitable for residential use.

Plans to knock it down and replace it with three new buildings for light industrial use were unanimously approved by Reading Borough Council earlier this month.

The building has been vacant since October 2020

At the meeting on 2 October, Labour councillor Richard Davies said residential use would have been "a worse outcome for the future residents of that development".

He said light industrial use would provide employment and was "much more suitable".

Liberal Democrat councillor James Moore said it was "sad" to see empty buildings in the borough, and that the plans, submitted by Redwood Propco Sarl, were "really good to see".

However, he questioned whether public transport links would be improved.

The council approved the plans but on the condition the developer submitted an access strategy and public transport statement laying out access and travel arrangements to the site.