Reading Borough Council sits in the South East and operates a Gateway 2 Building Safety regime — meaning moderate Gateway 2 fire-safety scrutiny for higher-risk schemes.
The Scapely cost model puts the typical build cost in Reading Borough Council at £2400/sqm for a standard residential conversion or new-build, before professional fees and contingency. Use this as a rule-of-thumb when stress-testing a deal — Scapely Pro produces a per-property estimate from CIL, footprint and access constraints.
Article 4 directions are active in Reading Borough Council. Permitted development rights have been removed in defined zones, which means HMO conversions, office-to-resi schemes and other PD plays require a full planning application. Always check the council's Article 4 map before committing.