Reading: Lichfields planning consultancy moves into Apex Plaza

The Thames Valley office of national planning consultancy Lichfields has moved into new premises as it continues to promote a raft of key developments across the region.

Having been based in the The Aquarium, on King Street, Reading, since the office was established in 2015 it has now moved to the Apex Plaza, adjacent to the town’s railway station.

Earlier this year Lichfields’ Thames Valley added two new members of staff in senior planner Sarah Watts and planner Emily Rickard. Senior director Daniel Lampard, who established the office five years ago, says the move supports its growth ambitions.

The Thames Valley team have provided planning and heritage advice on the Berkley Homes’ redevelopment of the Horlicks Factory site in Slough - which Slough Borough Council resolved to permit at the start of November.

It is acting for an investment fund managed by JP Morgan on the redevelopment  of Foundation Business Park, in Maidenhead, and also recently obtained planning for a new food store at Newbury Retail Park.

Lampard said: “The move to new offices is timely as we have now established a strong foothold in the Thames Valley and have ambitious plans for the office’s continued growth.

“Over the last five years we have supported a string of key regional developments and see great opportunities in the coming months and years to build upon our growing roster of clients in both the public and private development sectors.”

Stephen Holt from Haslams in Reading acted for Lichfields, whilst Campbell Gordon letting agents, also of Reading, acted for the landlords, Legal & General Investment Management.

Since its opening in 2015 Lichfields Thames Valley has worked on some major projects including the recent completion of an employment study on proposals for the new 215-hectare Cotswold Garden Village for West Oxfordshire District Council.

It secured permission for the first stage of the £200m Oxpens mixed-use development in Oxford.

It has delivered permissions on thousands of new homes and undertaken a comprehensive analysis of housing needs for the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP.