Demolition of Shire Hall Office Complex Underway

The demolition of the huge office complex that used to be the offices of Berkshire County Council is progressing.

The demolition of the former Berkshire County Council office complex at Shinfield Park is underway. Built in the 1970s in the Brutalist style, Shire Hall served as the county council's headquarters from 1981 until its closure in 1998.

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the building in April 1982, alongside Prince Philip and 5,000 local schoolchildren.

After the county council's abolition, the building was taken over by Swiss engineering firm Foster Wheeler in 2000, later becoming home to Wood until its move to Green Park last August. Following this, Wokingham Borough Council approved demolition plans in February.

Developers Wrenbridge and Fiera Real Estate plan to replace the site with five new industrial buildings, aiming to create local jobs. A council post states that the demolition will pave the way for an industrial hub, although local residents have raised traffic concerns.

Jessica Gavaghan from Wrenbridge Sport expressed her support for reinstalling a memorial bench for county council worker Chris Whitton, who passed away at 26. Demolition is expected to be completed later this year.

Concerns about increased traffic have been voiced, with local resident Thomas Rembert warning of potential delays and dangers for pedestrians and cyclists. Developers argue the new units will operate across different shifts, reducing peak traffic during rush hours.

For more details, check Wokingham council's planning portal using reference 250415.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter