Update on HUGE 598-home site next to Reading Station

The tallest point of Phase 1 of the Station Hill development has now been reached, with builders and guests celebrating with a topping out ceremony.

Work has been undertaken on the project since 2019, which involved the demolition of the old Friars Walk shopping centre and the construction of two new buildings in its place.

Once complete, these buildings will contain a total of 598 properties, made up of a mix of studio, one, two and three bed apartments.

One of the buildings is an E shape and faces onto Friar Street, while the other, block F, is set back from the existing street scene.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service was among those invited to witness the ‘topping out’ ceremony, which celebrates the foundations of the tallest part of a  building or development being set.

The ceremony began with talks by top officials from Lincoln MGT, a joint venture spearheading the Station Hill development, and construction company Midgard.

Lee Fearnhead, Lincoln Property Management director of construction for the UK and Europe, said: “We’ve had some massive market challenge over the last couple of years, I’ve never experienced a year or two years like this.

“I want to thank everyone for getting us here today, and I’d like to say, on budget and on time is a massive achievement.

“It’s been challenging to get here, but I hope you can guys can appreciate what’s being delivered.”

A view of the huge Station Hill development in Reading, still largely under construction. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Mr Fearnhead thanked councillors Tony Page and Karen Rowland, both Labour members for Abbey ward for attending and the extensive work between the council and developers.

Kevin Keegan, from Midgard, said: “Topping out ceremonies have been done by builders for hundreds if not thousands of years, and the intention is to bring luck to the building and to the people who are going to occupy the building.

“The main thing is that we’re putting a blessing on the building and we’ll toast the people who are going to occupy it.”

After the speeches, Mr Fernhead and cllr Page poured concrete into a wooden box to mark the occasion.

Councillor Tony Page and Lee Fernhead pour cement at the topping out ceremony for phase 1 of the Station Hill project in Reading. Credit: Station Hill (Image: Station Hill)

Cllr Page said: “I am really delighted to participate in an event that celebrates the first major milestone for Station Hill.

“The development has been many years in the making and as local councillors, we have been working with the owners and the development team to deliver a first-class regeneration scheme for the town and its residents.

“Station Hill is on the doorstep of the ‘new’ Reading Station, which was reopened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in July 2014, and is a key part of the Council’s regeneration plan.”

The ceremony was held on Friday, March 31.

All the attendees at the Station Hill Phase 1 topping out ceremony in Reading. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Phase 1 of the development includes approximately 160 car parking spaces for future occupants, which has capacity to be 100 per cent for electric vehicles if required.

It will also provide a total of nine retail and leisure units in Friar Street and a newly created Friars Walk, contained within the development, and two units in Garrard Street.

As the name suggests, phase 1 is just part of the redevelopment of Station Hill, with work underway on Phase 2 of the project as well.

Once the whole project is complete, 1,300 homes will have been built, 95,000 square foot of leisure and retail space will have been provided, as well as 625,000 square foot of office space.

There will even be an pedestrianised ‘Instagram bridge’ across  Garrard Street, in something of a replacement of the bridge between the Friars Walk centre and the old car park.