Dangerous parking near the Horlicks factory has increased since hundreds of new flats were built on the site – and risks becoming a ‘disaster’ – councillors have warned.

Berkeley Homes – the developer behind the Horlicks factory housing project – hopes to increase the number of homes that can be built during the next stage of construction.

But members of Slough Borough Council’s planning committee say parking problems have already arisen after the first flats became available in 2022.

Councillor Pavitar Mann said: “It is noticeable since this development has come forward the sheer scale of inappropriate car parking, often dangerous car parking on the roads that approach this.”

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She raised fears that plans to increase the number of flats being built would ‘exacerbate the problem'.

Councillor Rifaqat Zarait said he had seen ‘cars parked all over the place’ during a recent visit to the area. He added the problem had been ‘increasing’ since people began moving into flats built under phase 1 of the project. He said: “I think it’s just going to be a disaster until we find more parking within the site.”

Councillors on the planning committee raised their concerns as they discussed plans by Berkeley Homes to increase the height of the buildings being built under phase two of the project.

The developer already has permission to build some 1,293 homes at its Horlicks Quarter project. But now it wants to increase that to 1,380 homes – which will involve raising the height of blocks of flats at the centre of the development.

Proposals to raise the height of the buildings were brought to the councillors on Wednesday May 29.

Council planning officers clarified that the application being decided was on the size of the buildings only. They said that Berkley would submit separate planning applications to get approval for the number of flats and parking spaces at a later date.

But they added they were already in talks with Berkley over moves to solve parking problems – including bollards and barriers and on street parking controls.

One officer said: “In terms of dangerous parking along the frontage there is a solution which has been discussed and will be put in place as part of future applications and proposals.”

He added: “Some of those measures are expected to be implemented next month or by the end of July.”

Another planning officer said concerns had been ‘absolutely well heard.’ He added: “They will feed into the further discussions when the detail comes in regarding any additional units.”