Carter's Court
Developer: Bellway
New apartments and houses ranging from £250,000 to £650,000, with strong demand from Thames Valley professionals.
New Homes in Reading
Thames Valley's commuter capital on the Elizabeth Line
Reading sits on both the Elizabeth Line and the GWR mainline, with direct trains to London Paddington in under 30 minutes and to Tottenham Court Road on the Elizabeth Line. Major waterfront and town-centre schemes — Reading Riverworks (200+ apartments on the old power-station site), Carter's Court, Green Park Village and Kennet Island — are reshaping the market for both first-time buyers and family movers.
6 active developments From £250k Berkshire
Featured developments in Reading
Green Park Village
by Berkeley Homes
Reading, Berkshire, RG2 6BN
Bankside Gardens
by Berkeley Homes
Reading, Berkshire, RG2 6BU
Carter's Court
by Bellway Homes
Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8AR
Kennet Island
by Berkeley Homes
Reading, Berkshire, RG2 0GH
Huntley Wharf
by Berkeley Homes
Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3ES
Reading Riverworks
by Berkeley Homes
Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8BU
Reading property market in 2026
Reading benefits from one of the strongest employer bases outside London — Microsoft, Oracle, PepsiCo, Cisco, Thames Water, KPMG and Three's UK HQ are all here. Tech and life-sciences hiring has driven steady price growth, and the Elizabeth Line has shifted commuter demand westwards from Slough and Maidenhead.
Why buy a new home in Reading?
- ✓ London Paddington in 29 minutes (GWR Express)
- ✓ Elizabeth Line direct to Tottenham Court Road, Canary Wharf and Heathrow
- ✓ Reading FC and the new Riverside development
- ✓ Major employers: Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, KPMG, Thames Water, Three
- ✓ Henley-on-Thames, the Chilterns and Windsor all within 30 minutes
Transport & commuting
Reading is a major GWR hub with direct trains to London Paddington, Bristol, Cardiff, the South West and the Cotswolds, plus Elizabeth Line stopping services to central London and Heathrow. The M4 J11 is two miles from the town centre.
| Destination | Time | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| London Paddington (express) | ~29m | GWR |
| Tottenham Court Road | ~62m | Elizabeth Line |
| Heathrow Terminal 5 | ~30m | Elizabeth Line + Connect |
| Oxford | ~30m | GWR |
Schools in Reading
Reading has a unique combination of state grammar schools, top independents and Ofsted-Outstanding state secondaries. Kendrick (girls) and Reading School (boys) are two of the highest-performing state grammars in England.
- Kendrick School (girls, selective, Outstanding)
- Reading School (boys, selective, Outstanding)
- The Abbey School (independent, girls)
- Leighton Park School (independent)
- University of Reading
Major new-build schemes in Reading
Reading Riverworks
Developer: Various
200+ 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments on the former power-station site. Shared ownership 25% shares from £71,250 for a 1-bed.
Green Park Village
Developer: St Edward / Berkeley Group
Lakeside village south of the town centre with c. 1,000 new homes, a primary school, the Green Park station and Microsoft's campus next door.
Things to do in Reading
- • Reading Festival (one of the UK's biggest music festivals)
- • Reading Abbey Quarter and the Forbury Gardens
- • River Thames and Caversham riverside
- • The Oracle shopping centre
- • Reading Museum (free)
Frequently asked questions about new homes in Reading
How much do new homes in Reading cost?
New apartments start from around £250,000 at Carter's Court, rising to £650,000+ for larger family homes. Shared-ownership 25% shares at Reading Riverworks start at £71,250.
How long is the train from Reading to London?
GWR express services reach London Paddington in 29 minutes. Elizabeth Line stopping services take around 62 minutes to Tottenham Court Road but go on through central London to Canary Wharf and Stratford.
Why is Reading so popular with new build buyers?
It combines genuine fast-train commutability (29m to Paddington), Elizabeth Line through to Canary Wharf, a strong local employer base (Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco) and grammar-school access — at lower prices than nearby Wokingham or Henley.