Council to vote on city centre land transfer plan

Land needed for a major town centre regeneration project that will see 600 flats built is set to be handed over by the local council.

Reading councillors will be asked to agree to transfer land formerly used as the council's Civic Centre to developers for the Minster Quarter project.

The construction will also include a 102-bed hotel and public square for the Hexagon Theatre.

The site has largely been used as a walkway between Broad Street Mall and Reading Magistrates' Court after the Civic Centre's demolition in 2015 and 2016.

In order for the regeneration project to go ahead, the council must hand over the land to McLaren (Minster Quarter) Ltd in a decision expected to be confirmed by its policy committee.

Options available to the committee include approving the disposal to clear the way for the development or not proceeding, which would stall delivery of the Minster Quarter Central regeneration project.

There is no mention of what the value of the site might be in the publicly accessible report.

But there is a separate confidential report which contains sensitive information.

A decision on the disposal is due to be made by the authority's policy committee on Monday.