A university's plans to establish the headquarters of the European Weather Center have been approved.
The University of Reading has been granted planning permission by Wokingham Borough Council to develop the project, which will house 300 scientists in a sustainably designed facility.
Construction is expected to begin later this year, and the project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2026.
Minister Alex Burghart said: “Reading is the ideal location for this new headquarters.”
The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is currently located in Shenfeld Road.
The new development will see it move to the university's Department of Meteorology, creating one of the largest groups of weather and climatologists in the world.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert van de Noort, said: “We are already collaborating closely with our colleagues at ECMWF and look forward to welcoming them to our campus.
“This development will strengthen our partnership with ECMWF, allowing our scientists to work more closely together in environmental research to address global challenges.”
Mr Burghart said: “Reading is the ideal location for this new headquarters, ideally placed to access the university’s strong talent and create fantastic new opportunities for the next generation.”
The project is funded by the UK Government through the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. The application was submitted by the Government Real Estate Agency (GPA).
Clive Anderson, director of capital projects at GPA, said it hopes to deliver “smart, modern, sustainable and digitally connected workplaces focused on supporting productivity and wellbeing”.
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