The Central Club was one of Reading’s most important music venues and youth service spaces before its closure 20 years ago. It was a space in which people from mostly afro-Carribean cultures came together to share music and socialise. From this culture rose a large mural along the full length of the building, showing scenes and characters from Black History and the local community. Colony became aware of RBC’s desire to sell the property and assembled a development team to prepare a bid. Developers, engineers, and architects created a series of suggested designs, alongside costings and feasibility reports, which resulted in the winning bid. The design developed over several years as pre-applications were made and consultees added nuance to the design. The final planning consent was for a low-slung 4-storey development of private and affordable housing, with a public courtyard, space for an arts organisation, information boards to explain the mural, and detailed conservation of the mural itself.