Green park station/south Reading station

[Snowflake Royal]

There aren't really any good construction companies are there? They all regularly run over on time and costs and cut corners so the final product isn't up to standard.

Yep it is just the way it is. The fines and penalties associated with late or shoddy work just are not high enough for them to care. The worst is the new build home, all rushed and sub-standard. I wouldn't dream of buying a new build.

We've recently had a custom, huge new office built for us. Handover was delayed by six months so we moved in about two months late, it wasn't finished and there were all sorts of rumours from local contractors that the wiring was dodgy and the plumbing wouldn't last six weeks.

Move in was officially delayed due to an electrical fire in a server room. We had a drainage company out with a massive lorry within the first month. And the mezzanine stairs were shut for almost a month a few weeks after we moved in because they'd started 'wobbling'.

It's really nice looking though, and the chill beam air conditioning works a fukton better than the dodgy stuff we had in our ancient old building.

[John Smith]

There aren't really any good construction companies are there? They all regularly run over on time and costs and cut corners so the final product isn't up to standard.

Yep it is just the way it is. The fines and penalties associated with late or shoddy work just are not high enough for them to care. The worst is the new build home, all rushed and sub-standard. I wouldn't dream of buying a new build.

We've recently had a custom, huge new office built for us. Handover was delayed by six months so we moved in about two months late, it wasn't finished and there were all sorts of rumours from local contractors that the wiring was dodgy and the plumbing wouldn't last six weeks.

Move in was officially delayed due to an electrical fire in a server room. We had a drainage company out with a massive lorry within the first month. And the mezzanine stairs were shut for almost a month a few weeks after we moved in because they'd started 'wobbling'.

It's really nice looking though, and the chill beam air conditioning works a fukton better than the dodgy stuff we had in our ancient old building.

Thanks for sharing.

I take it not a lot of work gets done by the inhabitants of your office either?

[Snowflake Royal]

Yep it is just the way it is. The fines and penalties associated with late or shoddy work just are not high enough for them to care. The worst is the new build home, all rushed and sub-standard. I wouldn't dream of buying a new build.

We've recently had a custom, huge new office built for us. Handover was delayed by six months so we moved in about two months late, it wasn't finished and there were all sorts of rumours from local contractors that the wiring was dodgy and the plumbing wouldn't last six weeks.

Move in was officially delayed due to an electrical fire in a server room. We had a drainage company out with a massive lorry within the first month. And the mezzanine stairs were shut for almost a month a few weeks after we moved in because they'd started 'wobbling'.

It's really nice looking though, and the chill beam air conditioning works a fukton better than the dodgy stuff we had in our ancient old building.

Thanks for sharing.

I take it not a lot of work gets done by the inhabitants of your office either?

Depends on the inhabitant.

[Platypuss]

I used to work for a property development firm many moons ago, they used Balfour Beatty a lot. They were a oxf*rd disgrace.

How so?

If I'm looking for an anecdote that doesn't exist tell me, just seems a strong reaction. I've heard nothing but good things, and a close friend of mine works for them.

By the way this is not just aimed at them, they are similar to a lot of other construction companies out there. I was dealing with them when it came to our clients projects being delayed so I got it in the neck from my side constantly. Constantly wouldn't show up, show up at the wrong time, leave things in a mess, wrong types of traffic management in place etc. Found the management there hard to deal with too and often wouldn't be straight. Might be an isolated incident as I worked only within a particular region but found them really hard work. This was 5 years ago though so if they've changed then good luck to them.

Balfour Beatty are way down my list of Tier 1s I would prefer to deal with.
Skanska, Kier pretty sound to work with.

[Forbury Lion]

Reading Green Park will receive £2.3m towards a total project cost of £16.5m with the DFT saying it "has the potential to unlock 7,500 new jobs and 1,500 homes".

I can understand it might create some jobs for people working at the station, but seriously how is it going to unlock 7,500 new jobs? - Are there 7,500 jobs available in that area which can not be filled because staff are unwilling to catch the perfectly adequate bus to Green Park?

[Snowflake Royal]

Reading Green Park will receive £2.3m towards a total project cost of £16.5m with the DFT saying it "has the potential to unlock 7,500 new jobs and 1,500 homes".

I can understand it might create some jobs for people working at the station, but seriously how is it going to unlock 7,500 new jobs? - Are there 7,500 jobs available in that area which can not be filled because staff are unwilling to catch the perfectly adequate bus to Green Park?

It's a pretty simple concept Forbs. Increased transport options = increased footfall = increased jobs = expansion = increased housing = increased jobs. You can build new work places once the station is there mate.

[Forbury Lion]

Reading Green Park will receive £2.3m towards a total project cost of £16.5m with the DFT saying it "has the potential to unlock 7,500 new jobs and 1,500 homes".

I can understand it might create some jobs for people working at the station, but seriously how is it going to unlock 7,500 new jobs? - Are there 7,500 jobs available in that area which can not be filled because staff are unwilling to catch the perfectly adequate bus to Green Park?

It's a pretty simple concept Forbs. Increased transport options = increased footfall = increased jobs = expansion = increased housing = increased jobs. You can build new work places once the station is there mate.

Isn't that just moving jobs from elsewhere though rather than creating new ones?

[Hound]

increasing new jobs in the area/Reading

I suppose it depends on if those new houses were going to be built somewhere else anyway

[Forbury Lion]

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I'd like to know how the developers pull together these stats and whether there is anyway to measure them?

[Green]

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I'd like to know how the developers pull together these stats and whether there is anyway to measure them?

In your eyes does the country only have a set number of jobs available at any one time?

You can't imagine new investment and infrastructure creating jobs where they didn't exist in the past?

It's the kind of argument racists use "They're stealing our jobs".

[Forbury Lion]

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I'd like to know how the developers pull together these stats and whether there is anyway to measure them?

In your eyes does the country only have a set number of jobs available at any one time?

You can't imagine new investment and infrastructure creating jobs where they didn't exist in the past?

It's the kind of argument racists use "They're stealing our jobs".

I'm of the opinion that those who want planning approval for a scheme will present "facts" that support their plans.
A train station at Green Park will not create new jobs for train drivers if there are no extra trains and the existing ones just stop there, It may however lose jobs for bus drivers if the bus routes currently serving green park are scaled back as a result of people catching the train instead, Likewise if WHS open branch at Green Park station then people will buy newspapers and stuff there but if they previously bought that at Reading station's WHS then that could lead to a downturn there and a reduction in staffing numbers.
Now, if a company based in the area moved into a new office block/development will that create 1,000 jobs of just move 1,000 jobs?
Construction - Yes, new work is created in the area building the infrastructure. This is short term work for 6-12 months of whatever, which may provide a short term boost to the area.

Investment is needed and does create jobs, but I just don't buy unsubstantiated claims from developers, particularly when there are so many office blocks sat empty.

[windermereROYAL]

So due to be open from this summer, anyone know how it`s going?

[One87One]

So due to be open from this summer, anyone know how it`s going?

Has building work even began yet?

[windermereROYAL]

So due to be open from this summer, anyone know how it`s going?

Has building work even began yet?

No idea, that`s why I`m asking,

[One87One]

Latest via @ReadingOnThames is it’s ‘expected’ to be delivered by Winter 2019. (back end of the year, not the end of the current winter).

[RG30]

Planning application submitted

http://news.reading.gov.uk/green-park-station-building-application-submitted/

[Hound]

so open for the 20/21 season from the look of it

[SpaghettiHoop]

Funnily enough, I emailed Balfour Beatty a couple of weeks back asking when the new station would be open to the public. The first reply from their helpline was that there was no one in the office to answer (it was a Sunday) and someone would reply during the next week. I received this email yesterday from a Mr Harry Knagg:

"I have been looking into this enquiry and I have found that the Green Park Station was originally scheduled to open in May 2020. However the works are a year ahead of schedule and the project can be brought forward to summer 2019.

That is all the information I have unfortunately, the best person to contact would be a Ruth Leuillette (Ruth.Leuillette@reading.gov.uk - 01189372069)

I hope this helps, Kind Regards

Harry Knagg
Helpline Advisor | Balfour Beatty | Gas & Water"

I tried contacting Ruth Leuillette but failed so I gave up!

Interesting that the Planning Application has just been submitted!

[Wallsy]

Planning application submitted

http://news.reading.gov.uk/green-park-station-building-application-submitted/

Aye? I thought this was approved already and work had started?

There’s a lot of houses that have been built in Green Park now so they’ll be happy with this.

[LWJ]

Had a dream last night that Green Park was opened for the next time I got a train thru Reading.

Read of that what you will!!!