Expanded Reading Station Hill plans approved

The £500m development features a large amount of public open space

A larger redevelopment for the area near Reading station has been granted planning permission.

The £500m Station Hill plan for flats, offices, shops and a large piazza will now include demolishing a neighbouring 1970s six-storey office and vacant former shopping centre.

Historic England had objected, saying the site would be too close to the Grade I-listed Greyfriars church.

But the council said it "welcomed" this "hugely important site" for the town.

Developers Stanhope said there would be retail and leisure units throughout the ground floor of the site

Planning permission for Station Hill was granted in January 2015 after previous development plans failed, so much of the site has already been demolished.

The enlarged site will include an extra 12,000 sq m of residential development with the demolition of the 1970s Telecom House, which has two occupied shop units on the ground floor, and the former Friars Walk Shopping Centre.

The director of developers Stanhope, Jason Markham, said: "It's a new urban quarter right next to the station.

Stanhope said about 10% of the 450 residential units would be classed as affordable homes

"There will be a new central square, 450 residential units, and we'll have retail and leisure all through the ground floor of the development."

He said about 10% of the flats would be affordable homes.

Reading Borough councillors granted planning permission on Wednesday night despite an objection from Historic England, which argued that, although not in a conservation site, the redevelopment would cause "very serious" harm to the surrounding area.

The area near Reading station has had planning permission for its current design since January 2015

Council head of planning and deputy leader Tony Page said: "It's a hugely important site and we welcome it because it also includes a fair amount of public open space."