Step forward for 500m reading scheme

The landmark Royal Elm Park development adjacent to Reading FC’s Madejski Stadium, a £500m scheme which will include hundreds of new homes, a convention centre and a mix of retail, leisure and hotel space, has been given the go-ahead.The centrepiece of the 38-acre scheme will be a new landmark 300,000 convention centre, intended to provide a “powerful attraction” for future inward investment.Known as The International, the centre will play host to a range of events, concerts, conferences, leisure pursuits and community uses, and will become the largest dedicated conference venue in the south of England with a capacity of 6,000.The Royal Elm Park development will also deliver more than 600 residential units – a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, as well as more than 190,000 sq ft of public open space. An 86,000 sq ft public square will form a focal point for residents, football supporters and visitors, and will include more than 21,500 sq ft of retail, leisure and restaurant facilities.The scheme is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs once development work is complete. Along with providing “a significant stimulus to the region” and “further supporting Reading’s position as one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities”, the development is also paving the way for a new mainline rail station to be created at nearby Green Park.The application has been approved by Reading Borough Council, subject to conditions. The scheme will now progress to the final stages of the planning process. Once the final planning requirements are completed, construction is planned to commence in early 2018, with The International operational in 2020.The Royal Elm Park development in its entirety is expected to be completed in 2023.