Station Hill, Reading for Lincoln MGT with Gensler, Arcadis, LDA Design and Future City

Station Hill, Reading for Lincoln MGT with Gensler, Arcadis, LDA Design and Future City

Station Hill is a landmark £850m mixed-use regeneration project in the heart of Reading. Developed by Lincoln MGT, it combines the multi award-winning office building - ONE Station Hill - and Ebb&Flow, an innovative BTR development with around two acres of activated public realm and a significant public art trail. With lifestyle-led retail, leisure, including ‘local heroes’ alongside global brands, Station Hill is redefining urban living while establishing a connected and dynamic place where people are proud to live, work and play in.

Describe the context of this project and the point it has reached in its development. Who was there in this place before development, where have they gone, who is there now and who will be there in future? When is the project expected to be complete?

Phases 1 & 2 of Station Hill are now complete, transforming the area into a buzzing and well-connected destination establishing the new ‘front door’ to Reading, with a series of attractive open spaces and buildings anchored with enhanced and activated public realm, improved cycle routes and a significant refurbishment of the station underpass.
 
Before Lincoln MGT acquired Station Hill in 2018, the area had been undeveloped for two decades with three different owners failing to deliver viable plans for redevelopment. In stark contrast to today, it was home to the derelict Friars Walk Shopping Centre (which had lain unoccupied since 2004); Western Tower (a 15-storey 1970s office block that had been disused for decades); a dilapidated multi-storey concrete car park; and Reading Bus Depot.
 

Today, Station Hill is home to c.2 acres of activated public realm with a vibrant art trail that creates a striking gateway to the town and celebrates the rich history of Reading. ONE Station Hill, the international-standard workspace that has consolidated Reading’s position as the capital of the South East and Ebb&Flow, the thriving community, is setting a new standard for high-quality rental living with its dynamic community engagement programme.
 
Phase 3 already has outline planning approval and will deliver up to 350,000 sq ft of office space, 600 homes, another acre of public realm, and comprise a sculptural children’s play space in the heart of the development and a range of retail and leisure uses.

How are you seeking to foster community, welcome visitors and attract tenants? How are you responding to changing demographics, behaviour, market context, policy, transport habits and the climate crisis since winning planning?

Station Hill has welcomed visitors and fostered a sense of community by delivering attractive open spaces that the public can enjoy with a range of events throughout the year from a Farmer’s Markets at Ebb&Flow to dazzling light shows at Station Hill’s iconic backlit mural. 
 
 On 21 June 2025, Station Hill welcomed over 7,000 people to ‘Party on the Hill’ to celebrate the transformative impact Station Hill has had on the Thames Valley area. The event showcased local talent with Reading-based singers and musicians performing and encouraged a range of local businesses and restaurants to participate.
 
 Reading has the fastest-growing economy in the UK outside of London. Station Hill responds to this growing change in the market, providing super prime office space for global businesses, reinforcing its position as the capital of the South East. 
 
 With more people choosing to live and work in Reading due to attractive property prices, a strong local economy and excellent commuter connections, Station Hill has sought to meet the demand from the spectrum of younger professionals and working families with high quality rental accommodation at Ebb&Flow, the 598-home BTR development.
 
 Sustainability is at the heart of Station Hill. ONE Station Hill is an all-electric building using air source heat pumps and targeting a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification and an EPC ‘A’ rating. In addition, Ebb&Flow was the first residential development in England to achieve an ‘ActiveScore Platinum Certification’ demonstrating commitment to sustainable modes of transport.

Please explain the governance of the project, such as its viability, purpose, motivation and any consultation and community engagement undertaken. 

The vision for Station Hill is one of long-term commitment not only to the site itself but also to the wider regeneration and the local community. Extensive public consultation was undertaken among the local community to support Lincoln MGT’s planning application which was granted in 2021, and again more recently where a public exhibition was held in November 2025 related to Phase 3A and welcomed key stakeholder groups as well as members of the public to give their feedback on the additional residential, retail and public realm proposals, all of which were extremely well received.
 
Lincoln MGT have actively engaged with local community groups throughout the development period with a range of activities including engaging with local charities, hosting the ‘Pathways to Property’ summer school, inviting local school children to create art to appear on the site’s hoarding, hosting locals, international graduates and mature students, and holding regular site tours and presentations with key dignitaries, stakeholders and professional organisations to showcase the development.
 
To deliver Station Hill’s striking £1.5m art trail, Lincoln MGT worked with Future City to establish an Advisory Group, comprising of local councillors, Reading Council officers, Reading Civic Society and representatives from local arts organisations, to ensure the Public Art Programme at Station Hill seamlessly integrates with other activities across the development and the wider Reading area.