The Site
Churchill Living is progressing proposals for the redevelopment of the vacant former Hemdean House School site on Hemdean Road, Caversham.
The former Hemdean House School, an independent fee-paying school, closed in July 2024 following a period of declining enrolment which made continued operation of the school no longer sustainable.
About the site
The site is approximately 2.66 acres (1.08 hectares) and comprises nine former school buildings of varying ages, appearances and heights. The Nursery building, located closest to Hemdean Road, is 1.5 storeys tall. The former School House to the western side of the site rises to 4 storeys.
The site is surrounded by established residential uses and is accessed from a narrow established route directly from Hemdean Road. The surrounding residential uses are typically traditional domestic-scale homes finished in red or buff brick and white render, with pitched tile roofs.
The site boundaries are addressed with 1.8-metre close-boarded fencing to the north and south, dense vegetation and steep banking to the west, and a 2.4-metre metal security fence with mature trees to the east.
A steeply sloping, densely wooded area occupies the northern portion of the site, near the end of Knighton Close and Queen Street, which would be retained and actively managed through the development.
The site is not within a Conservation Area and has no relevant planning history beyond school-related works. The principle of redeveloping this vacant brownfield site is considered acceptable in planning terms and presents an opportunity to meet the need for older persons housing in a sustainable location while respecting the area’s established residential character.
A sustainable location
The site is located in a highly sustainable part of Caversham, with excellent access to a wide range of everyday shops, services and community facilities. It is less than a ten-minute walk from Waitrose and Caversham’s main shopping area, where residents can access supermarkets, cafés, independent retailers, health services and other daily amenities.
Balmore Park Surgery and its adjoining pharmacy are only a three-minute walk from the site, providing convenient access to primary healthcare.
The site is also well served by public transport, with frequent bus services from nearby Prospect Street offering direct connections to Reading town centre, Reading Station and wider destinations. This provides residents with reliable, easy and sustainable travel options.
A number of leisure and recreational destinations are also within walking distance, including Balmore Walk, Christchurch Meadows, Bugs Bottom, Westfield Recreation Ground and the River Thames, offering opportunities for walking, outdoor activity and social engagement.
Overall, the site is positioned within an established residential area that benefits from excellent access to shops, services, healthcare, green spaces and public transport, making it a highly sustainable and suitable location for a retirement living development.