Slough councillors urged to block 61-flat plan in town centre

Members of the planning committee will convene Wednesday, March 14, to decide whether or not to approve plans to demolish the automotive place office building on Grays Place and be redeveloped into a new apartment block of up to 10-storeys, providing 61 flats.

If approved, the site will provide 28 one-bed, 29 two-bed, and four three-bedrooms. No affordable housing is provided.

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One angry resident, who lives ‘metres’ away from the proposed site, criticised and objection to the scheme for not providing any affordable homes, saying: “The inclusion of affordable housing is vital as demonstrated in many developments (e.g. Abbey House, Beacon House (50 Stoke Road), Horlick quarters). This application lacks social responsibility and treats the project as a pure money-grabbing opportunity.”

A CGI of the propsosed building

As part of the proposal, basement car parking will be included providing twelve car parking spaces and 66 cycle spaces, while four short-stay cycle stands located close to the front building entrances for visitors.

Although the plans come with basement parking, planning officers concluded this will not provide “safe and convenient” access for vehicles and also provides “insufficient” spaces.

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Officers also raised issue with the building’s height, bulk, and massing would clash with the street’s character as well as being overbearing to the adjacent flats, blocking natural light to neighbours.

Providing no affordable housing also goes against the council’s planning policies, the report stated.

With those reasons in mind, officers decided to recommend to councillors that this scheme should be refused.