Reading Borough Council has finalised a development agreement with preferred bidder McLaren Living to deliver the £250m regeneration of the town’s Minster Quarter.

The long-awaited deal paves the way for over 600 new homes – including 30% affordable – alongside 40,000 sq ft of workspace, shops, food and drink venues, and a 102-bed hotel.

The 5.2-acre brownfield site, once home to the former Civic Centre, will also feature a new civic square outside The Hexagon Theatre, a community hub, and improved public realm linking to Reading Minster and Hosier Street’s market.

McLaren Living’s plans form part of a wider regeneration vision, with the developer also behind the neighbouring Broad Street Mall redevelopment – bringing the total pipeline across both sites to around 1,200 homes.