Q-Park agrees deal for Reading’s Chatham Place development
Q-Park has agreed a deal to own and operate a 591 space public multi-storey car park for the new 11 acre Chatham Place development to the west of Reading town centre. The completed development will include residential homes, commercial buildings, a hotel, retail outlets and public open space.
Michael Auger, project director at AMEC for Chatham Place, said: “We are delighted to have Q-Park as Chatham Place’s car park operator. The standard of their facilities is at the very top end and visitors to Reading will be able to benefit from the safe, quality-led environment provided. The car park has been designed to the highest standards in terms of both appearance and operation. A combination of steel and cedar wood panels, zinc cladding and glazing will provide a high quality and dynamic façade, sympathetic to its surroundings.”
Alan Ashbee, Chief Executive of Q-Park Ltd added: “All Q-Park car parks are operated and managed to very high levels of safety, convenience and customer service — all within a stylish, clean and comfortable environment. Our aim is to offer customers a very positive parking experience, and we are delighted to be able to bring our particular vision to Reading. The new car park will also offer vital local employment opportunities. New and existing staff all benefit from our sound training schemes enabling them to take great pride in their work, which in turn has a very positive impact on customers using our car parks.”
Cllr John Howarth, Head of Strategic Planning and Transport at Reading Borough Council, said that Chatham Place would provide a much needed new car park in the town centre and added: “We welcome the appointment of Q-Park by AMEC. This should go some way to allaying fears that might have existed that a car parking monopoly may have developed in Reading.”
The Chatham Place car park is expected to be completed and open to the public in summer 2007, with access primarily from an enhanced junction at Chatham Street and Eaton Place, undertaken as part of the development.
Notes on Chatham Place:
- Chatham Placeis a partnership development with Reading Borough Council. Construction is scheduled to start in Spring 2006 with completion of the first phase due from summer 2007 to winter 2008.
- In November 2005 AMEC Developments was granted detailed planning permission for the first phase of the 4.5 ha (11 acre) scheme. The completed development, which is to the west of the existing town centre, will comprise 17,491m2 private residential, 8,112 m2 affordable residential, 33,295 m2 commercial, hotel, public car parking and 3,500 m2 of ground floor retail outlets as well as public open space and highway works.
- The planning permission is in two sections: a detailed planning permission for the first phase of the development and an outline for the future phases of the scheme.
- The first phase is primarily residential with 211 one and two bedroom apartments for private sale and 96 one and two bedroom affordable apartments provided for Keystart Housing Association. There will also be a 591 space public car park and 500m2 for community facilities together with 437 m2 of local retailing. An attractive area of pedestrianised public open space will also be created providing a valuable addition to this part of Reading.
- Outline planning approval has been granted for the subsequent phases of Chatham Place, which features decking over the A329 Inner Distribution Road and thereby linking with the existing town centre to accommodate further retail and commercial development as well as an impressive civic square.
- ENDS -
For further information on Q-Park or photography, please contact Marketing on 0870 442 0104 or email marketing@-park.co.uk
