John Lewis housing development nears approval

John Lewis has submitted proposals to redevelop its former customer collection facility in Reading into a housing project, according to reports from the BBC.

The scheme includes a mixture of 111 one-bedroom, 92 two-bedroom, and 12 three-bedroom homes. The site, which was previously used for customers to collect orders, closed in 2022 after being deemed surplus to requirements.

John Lewis has claimed that 49% of these apartments were “family-sized” and 10% would be provided at affordable rent levels. A portion of the apartments will also be reserved for key workers, including healthcare staff and emergency service personnel.

Residents will have access to shared spaces, including flexible work-from-home areas, a gym or fitness studio, and communal lounge and dining areas.

A decision on the project could be made within weeks, as the project is a major application, and is therefore likely to be decided by the council’s planning applications committee.

The next meeting is scheduled to place on 2 April. If approved, construction is expected to begin in early 2026, with the first residents moving in by 2028.

This development aligns with John Lewis Partnership’s £80m investment into rental housing in Reading, first announced back in September, which also includes plans to regenerate a former distribution warehouse into energy-efficient homes and green spaces.

It comes after the company confirmed its staff will not receive a bonus for the third year in a row, despite full-year profits tripling from £42m to £126m.

For the year ended 25 January 2025, overall sales rose by 3% year-on-year, from £12.4bn to £12.8bn, while customer numbers rose by 2%.

At Waitrose, sales rose by 4.4% to £8bn and volumes were up 2.6%, with investment into the quality of food and lower prices helping to drive this growth. Adjusted operating profit rose by £122m to £227m amid the sales uptick and productivity improvements.