Belway breathes life back into historical printworks

Bellway Homes recently launched The Printworks, a collection of 96 new homes, in central Reading. This development, which comprises both houses and apartments is centrally located on Cardiff Road, conveniently close to Reading mainline station. The scheme is set on a historic site that was home to printers Cox and Wyman since 1777, once the largest paperback producer in the UK.

As a nod to its roots, the development has been appropriately named The Printworks and subtle details have been included in the design to reflect its history such as framed books adorning the shared community walls. The scheme includes 48 three-bedroom houses and 40 apartments with a range of one, two and three bedrooms to suite all tastes and available in a variety of tenures. The Printworks has been designed with a total of 121 parking spaces, and many of the three-bedroom homes will benefit from two spaces. Twelve electric car charging points and a car club scheme will aid sustainability for the development and ensure that residents who don’t own a vehicle are still mobile. Buyers at The Printworks will also benefit from an accessible play area and the scheme will be enhanced with attractive landscaping including trees and hedging.

According to recent statistics from leading property portal Rightmove, Reading has seen the third greatest annual increase in the number of buyer-searches through 2020, beaten only by Plymouth and Swansea. This popular town has enjoyed a 69 per cent increase in people looking to move to the area, seeking homes in a well-connected town that boasts an excellent range of amenities.

Emma Jones, Sales Director for Bellway Thames Valley comments: “We are thrilled to be breathing new life into a brownfield site that has remained dormant since 2015. Building on the success we have had at Renaissance, which is just over half a mile from The Printworks, we are expecting demand to be high. The three-bedroom houses at Renaissance were exceptionally popular and sold in just a few weeks, and I expect this recognition will be mirrored here. The first homes to be launched at The Printworks are just ten three-bedroom terraced houses and I believe they will get snapped up extremely quickly so buyers should contact us soon to avoid disappointment.”

These first homes offer buyers great flexibility dependent on their requirements, with three house styles available. Some have been designed with a bonus room over the garage, ideal for home working and a few have a sunny roof terrace, giving residents wonderful outside space that will benefit from ample sunlight, whilst the remaining have been cleverly designed over two and a half storeys with flexible living spaces.

Residents looking for convenient access to a range of amenities will be able to enjoy Reading town centre where they will find a great many dining, shopping and leisure opportunities. Foodies are spoilt for choice, with options from well-known restaurants, artisan bakeries and a Michelin-starred restaurant L’Ortolan.

The Printworks is in an excellent location for convenient connections. The A33, which connects to the M4 for London, is close and Reading railway station is a short walk from home providing regular services to Oxford, London and Manchester.