24 focus on Reading


SEGRO breaks ground at Imperial Way


SEGRO has marked the start of construction at its Imperial Way scheme in Reading with a traditional ground-breaking ceremony.


The ceremony was attended by Marian Livingston, mayor of Reading Borough Council; Karen Brown of Reading Job Centre; Tracy James of Reading College; other local stakeholders; and senior representatives from SEGRO, GeoPost UK and Wates Construction.


In January this year, SEGRO announced it had secured its first customer at the site with a pre-let agreement to develop a 37,300 sq ft cross-dock parcel delivery centre for GeoPost UK.


Imperial Way is a seven-acre development site that SEGRO acquired in 2011. Situated approximately three miles from Reading town centre and less than a mile from Junction 11 of the M4, it offers an ideal location for parcel delivery organisations.


GeoPost has agreed a lease for a period of 20 years and construction of the parcel delivery centre is due to complete in August 2014. The development of this site enables the company to retain 89 local jobs and creates potential for a further 50.


SME Summit to be hosted by Santander


Santander hosted an SME Summit in Reading on May 1. The event, to be held at the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre, Madejski Stadium, included discussion, a keynote address and networking opportunities.


With a welcome address by Ana Botin, chief executive of Santander UK, there was a panel discussion focused on access to finance, cashflow forecasting, and funding international growth.


The Summit followed Santander’s successful Breakthrough programme, which has helped a number of growing businesses in the south.


Delegates there were also treated to a presentation by Nigel Laughton, performance director for the British skeleton team based at Bath University, and a keynote by Neil Ricketts, CEO and co-founder of start-up Versarien plc, which develops advanced engineering solutions.


Attendance was by invitation only. Details: info@santanderccb-events.co.uk


www.businessmag.co.uk Ground-breaking ceremony at Imperial Way


SEGRO has teamed up with its construction partner Wates Construction and customer GeoPost to develop a bespoke employment and skills plan for the local area. The programme involves working with JobCentre Plus and Central Berkshire Education Business Partnership (CBEBP) to provide employment, work experience and training opportunities to local residents during the construction phase.


TVBLEP builds economic case for rail investment


A new study reveals that large-scale reductions in average journey times and increases in average train frequencies along the Reading-Waterloo Line would see a transport and economic benefit of up to £183 million per annum.


‘The Reading-Waterloo Line and Southwest Rail Access to Heathrow Economic Impact Study’, released by Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVBLEP), Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council, was to assess the economic impact of a range of scenarios related to service provision along the Reading-Waterloo Rail Line and a potential southwest connection to Heathrow Airport.


Carried out by economic consultants JMP Consultants and Regeneris Consulting, the study explored four scenarios for improvements to rail services along the Reading–Waterloo Line (incorporating reduced journey times and increased train frequencies), and two scenarios for a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow (a new ‘loop’ off the Reading-Waterloo Line via Heathrow and a new ‘spur’ off the Reading-Waterloo Line via Heathrow), as well as five combinations of the individual scenarios.


Highlights of the report include: · A 25% reduction in average journey times


Once the facility is complete, GeoPost will be running a work experience scheme for young people, in addition to offering apprenticeships and shadowing opportunities for local residents. As part of the site development, SEGRO is working with local schools to run a business initiative. This programme offers student teams, supported by an established business person, the chance to pitch products and services to a panel in a ‘Dragons Den’ style of competition.


Gareth Osborn, SEGRO’s business unit director for the Thames Valley and National Logistics, said: “Imperial Way is an exciting development site for Reading and we are pleased to celebrate our ground-breaking ceremony today.


Developing this site for GeoPost is an example of the demand that we are seeing in the market for well-located, modern warehouse premises.


GeoPost is wholly owned by La Poste, the second- largest postal operator in Europe. In the UK it is represented by the ‘DPD’ and ‘Interlink’ brands.


This will be the fifth development SEGRO has undertaken for GeoPost.


for all stations along the Reading-Waterloo Line is estimated to produce an overall direct transport and wider economic benefit of between £66m and £91m pa.


· A 15% reduction in average journey times for all stations along the Reading-Waterloo Line is estimated to produce a total direct transport and wider economic benefit of between £39m and £53m pa.


· An increase in average train frequency across the day from two trains per hour (tph) to four tph is estimated to produce a total benefit of between £44m and £72m pa.


· A 25% reduction in average journey times and an increase in average train frequency across the day from two tph to four tph is estimated to produce a total benefit of between £122m and £183m pa.


· A new ‘loop’ off the Reading-Waterloo Line via Heathrow, served by existing train services, is estimated to produce a total benefit of between £16m and £27m pa. This could rise to up to £160m pa if additional train services were also provided along the Reading-Waterloo Line.


· A new ‘spur’ off the Reading-Waterloo Line into Heathrow, served by a new two tph rail service along the Reading-Waterloo Line is estimated to produce a total benefit of between £58m and £88m pa.


Details: www.thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2014


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