WORK has nearly finished on a project to construct a warehouse on the site of the former Autotrader building.
The three-storey logistics warehouse has been built after planning approval was granted in March last year for the site, which includes Hartman House, an office building, in Danehill.
Both have been vacant since 2015.
The new logistics hub is marketed by TL Real Estate, with rent determined on application.
An advert says the hub, named Gem Reading, offers ‘much-needed high-quality warehouse and logistics accommodation in the affluent M4 high tech corridor’.
It has 48 car parking spaces and eight electric vehicle charging points, with lorry and van parking facilities.
The site was previously subject to a plan to replace the Autotrader and Hartman House buildings with three apartment blocks of 76 flats.
It was approved on appeal to the planning inspectorate in June 2019, with and inspector judging that residential use of the site was acceptable and the proposed housing mix of 70% of that flats being one-beds also being ruled acceptable.
The site’s then owners submitted a new plan for the logistics hub which was approved by Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee last March.
At the meeting when the project was approved, a planning agent for the previous owners, Nodia Properties RR & Aydevan Developers, said that having flats on the site “would not be viable”.
The logistics hub was acquired by real estate management company Vengrove in May last year, which valued it at £16.5 million. The company will retain ownership.
