46 new council homes open on Wensley Road estate

New homes for local families

Forty-six households have moved into new council homes on the Wensley Road estate following the completion of the latest council housebuilding project.

The homes include a mix of houses and flats, with properties designed to meet different needs. Many are already occupied, with the remaining homes allocated and now being filled.

The development includes family houses, flats and wheelchair-accessible homes, helping ensure people can stay in their community as their needs change.

Official opening

The new homes were officially opened on Wednesday 28 January.

Residents were joined by Matt Rodda, MP for Reading Central, councillors, council officers and the media to mark the occasion and celebrate the completion of the development.

Part of wider estate improvements

The new homes form part of a wider regeneration programme on the Wensley Road estate.

Recent improvements include a new play park, better landscaping with new pathways and additional parking spaces and roads.

Further work is planned to improve the estate’s three tower blocks, with projects due to begin from September 2026. These include:

• new windows for all flats
• refurbished lifts
• renewed heating systems
• improved landscaping around each tower
• a new enclosed refuse facility
• replacement of all external insulation

More council homes across Reading

The Wensley Road development brings the number of new council homes built in Reading to almost 177 over the past five years, not including homes acquired elsewhere.

A further 362 new council homes have either started or are planned across the town by the end of 2029.

These developments support the council’s wider plan to increase affordable housing, ease pressure on the housing register and give tenants more options to move as their circumstances change.

Matt Yeo, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Housing:

“I’m delighted that this development is complete and many people are already enjoying their fantastic modern new homes which are of really high quality.

I’m particularly pleased that all 46 homes are being occupied by residents who have already lived on or grown up in the neighbourhood, preserving the existing local community. These families have been able to watch – from their old homes – their new homes being constructed. They will now be able to see the continued improvements being made with the work to the towers over the next few years through the second phase of improvements.

It’s also important that the homes we are providing continue to reflect our response to the climate emergency through environmentally-friendly features which will also help ensure energy costs stay as low as possible. I’m excited that our ongoing new build programme will continue to provide even more affordable homes for people in Reading in the coming years”.