Reading town centre is changing, and local people are being asked to help shape its future.
A new public consultation gives residents, businesses, workers, students and visitors the chance to share their views on what Reading town centre should look like by 2040.
The draft Town Centre Vision is rooted in Reading’s heritage, rivers, transport network, and active regeneration projects. It is made up of seven key principles:
Building healthy and connected communities
Transforming Reading’s rivers and public spaces
Enabling connected and active travel
Building a greener, climate-resilient town
Celebrating Reading’s culture, heritage, and identity
Reimagining the town centre experience
Supporting growth and innovation
As the way people work, shop and spend their free time changes, the town centre is changing too. More people are choosing to live in the centre, and several major development projects are already underway. The number of homes in the town centre is expected to double over the next 15 years.
New homes, workplaces, cultural venues and public spaces are being created, with more investment planned in the future. To make sure the town centre continues to thrive, the council wants to create attractive public spaces, improve links between different areas and offer a wider mix of activities beyond shopping.
To support this, the council has produced a draft Town Centre Vision and Delivery Plan. These documents set out a long-term plan for central Reading and identify the key projects needed to achieve it.
The consultation asks people what matters most to them. Options include better public spaces, improved walking and cycling routes, more family-friendly facilities, more affordable homes and a wider range of cultural events. People can also share their own ideas and explain what they value most about the town centre.
Everyone is encouraged to take part in the consultation and help shape the future of Reading town centre.
The consultation will take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete and is open until 30 November 2026.
Councillor Liz Terry, Reading Borough Council Leader said:
“As people change where they work and how they shop, our town centres are also changing, and Reading is no different. While the success of our town centre is built on its traditional retail and leisure offer, we are now seeing a sharp increase in demand for town centre living. In Reading we expect the number of town centre homes to more than double by 2041, which fundamentally alters how we need to look at our centre and plan for the future.
“We need to plan for a town centre environment which is more suited people’s patterns of everyday living. That can mean more family-friendly parks and public spaces for example, access to the sorts of services or community spaces you might ordinarily expect outside of town centres and, importantly, affordable and high-quality homes. We know Reading already excels as a destination for shopping and leisure but now, and in the future, it will need to function as a neighbourhood in its own right.
“Many of these changes will take some years to come to fruition, but adopting a Vision now gives us a clear plan to guide investment over time, with the associated Delivery Plan outlining the projects which will transform that that vision into a reality. That will include Council-led projects like our new Studio Theatre which is fast taking shape, and our ambitions for Minster Quarter, or those being delivered by partners, such as at Station Hill and the Oracle, among many others.
“These documents enable us to get ahead of the inevitable changes our Town Centre will see over the years to come and now is the time for residents, businesses, community groups or other organisations, and visitors to contribute by taking some time to respond to the consultation.”
