Third build-to-rent site granted consent in Reading

The John Lewis Partnership has been awarded a resolution to grant consent from Reading Borough Council to deliver 170 rental homes on a former industrial site at Mill Lane, which previously housed a distribution centre.

The unanimous decision taken last night by the Council’s Planning Committee praised the Partnership’s local engagement around the project and its 70 year commitment to Reading.

Around one in six (16%) of the 170 homes will be affordable, with no difference in design, specification or service compared with market-rate homes. Local residents will be given first refusal on the mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Each one will be powered using an air source heat pump.

The £70m scheme will regenerate an underused brownfield site to deliver high-quality, energy-efficient homes, nearly 5,000 sq ft of indoor amenity space for fitness, homeworking and socialising, and landscaped communal gardens. A new community space and access to gardens for local groups will also be provided. The scheme will deliver a biodiversity net gain of 328%, far exceeding the statutory 10% requirement required by policy.

The project is expected to generate £18m in additional household spending and Council Tax over the next decade, supporting local shops, cafés and services. It will also create more than 120 jobs during construction, including apprenticeships.

The Reading decision follows landmark approvals in West Ealing and Bromley that together unlock almost 1,000 new rental homes. Alongside these planning milestones, JLP has built an operational track record managing nearly 1,000 homes for its joint venture partner, Aberdeen.

Drawing on its 150-year retail heritage, the Partnership has embedded a customer-first service DNA into its rental business, with training and data-led insights already improving performance across other sites. This approach has reinforced the quality and trust attached to the John Lewis brand while creating a platform to assess further brownfield opportunities across its estate.