ECMWF: Work begins to prepare site for new HQ

Please note: The parking spaces outside the Agriculture building will be unavailable from 22 March - 14 April to allow this work to progress. Colleagues are asked to use alternative car parks during this period.

Work will begin this month to prepare for the construction of a new state-of-the-art weather centre on Whiteknights campus.

Planning permission was granted in February for a new headquarters for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

ECMWF is relocating to the vacant TOB1 site at Earley Gate from its current location on Shinfield Road, Reading, in a project funded by the UK Government.

Preparation work

Work by our Estates team will begin on 11 March to clear the site ready to hand over to the Government Property Agency, which will lead the construction of the new building.

This will involve:

Image shows TOB1, Marsden Shed, greenhouse and builders yard sites due for demolition outlined in red.

Potential impacts on colleagues

Noise

The existing buildings will be demolished to ground level only at this stage, with the foundations left intact. This means heavy machinery will not be required and noise will be kept to a minimum.

Exams, assessments and remaining summer term teaching scheduled to take place in Harry Pitt and Agriculture buildings will be moved to alternative locations where possible.

Parking reduction

The parking spaces directly outside the Agriculture building will remain accessible throughout the work – other than between 22 March and 14 April when the access road is excavated for the water pipe diversion.

The spaces next to TOB1 and the Marsden Shed fall within the ECMWF construction site and will therefore no longer be available.

Colleagues are asked to use alternative University car parks when these are unavailable.

Please contact campusparking@reading.ac.uk if you need to discuss any impacts these closures will have on you.

Traffic management

Traffic management will be on place on the main road through Earley Gate, between the mini roundabout and the junction with the Agriculture access road.

We thank colleagues for their understanding and patience during this work.