Huge Slough town centre office tower plans approved by councillors

AshbyCapital, the property investment advisory company, and specialist regeneration and property developer, U+I had their plans to build two buildings up to 12-storeys in height unanimously approved at a planning committee on Wednesday, March 10.

The two blocks, known as building one and three, will be constructed next to the existing 14-storey Future Works office (building two) on Wellington Street.

Building three, which will be located on the western part of the site, would provide 18,036sqm of floorspace over 11 storeys.

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To the eastern part of the site, the 12-storey building one will have a mix of office, commercial, leisure, and retail space – totalling 25,842sqm of floorspace.

AshbyCapital and U+I aim to deliver two of the ‘most sustainable and technologically advanced buildings’ within the Thames Valley, targeting net-zero carbon emissions, including a reduction in embodied carbon.

A CGI of what the buildings will look like

Paul Patenall, project director at U+I, said: “Slough already has the highest concentration of global headquarters outside London and multiple titles for being a great place to live and work.

“With the Elizabeth Line and a number of other major regeneration projects underway, the future is bright for Slough.

“As we all look forward to returning to our town centres and offices, we’re excited to reaffirm our confidence in Slough and breathe renewed life into the heart of this increasingly vibrant town.”

The reception area

This development is apart of many of the council’s ‘Heart of Slough’ programme – which started in 2004 and is a major regeneration project to completely transform the junction of the A4, Stoke Road, and William Street.

Station Square is the third quarter of the original Heart of Slough vision to be finalised – following the completion of the iconic new library and cultural building, The Curve and the opening of the twin hotels and apartments on the southern side of the A4.

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Since its inception, the Heart of Slough has brought more than £400 million of public and private investment into the town, the council said.

The final quarter – the old Thames Valley University site on the north-west quadrant – will also be the site of a multi-million-pound regeneration of homes, leisure and employment spaces with a planning application expected in the summer.

Councillor Pavitar K. Mann, lead member for Planning and Regulation said: “These schemes are the latest steps in providing a better future for our town and expanded opportunities for residents.

“While other major regeneration schemes across the UK have been paused or stopped entirely Slough’s underlying strengths, which we have harnessed, developed and built upon, mean confidence remains high in our recovery out of covid and our future and millions of pounds of private investment flowing into our town centre and major redevelopment schemes.”