Land, shops, and garages could all be sold off or let on long-term leases to help Slough Borough Council pay off its debts, new documents have revealed.

Slough Borough Council leaders approved a new list of council-owned properties that could be sold off to help plug the financial gap at a cabinet meeting on Monday, July 15. Councillor Wal Chahal, responsible for finance, said the properties are ‘no longer required’ by the council and ‘can be sold'.

It includes six patches of land that could be considered public open space – meaning the council will have to consult residents before it puts them on the market.

Land that will need a public consultation before being sold includes:

  • The land at garages behind 1-28 Keel Drive in Cippenham Meadows
  • Slough Gateway at Junction 5 on the M4 in Foxborough
  • The land at garages behind 1-41 Minster Way in Langley St Marys
  • The land at garages behind 571-581 on Long Furlong Drive in Northborough
  • Green space next to The Village Medical Centre on Mercian Way in Cippenham Green

Several other rows of garages not on land that could be considered as open space have also been approved for sale. Council officers say these are all either beyond repair or not in use.

These are at:

  • 1-14 and 126-141 Trelawney Avenue, Langley Kederminster
  • 102-125 Trelawney Avenue, Langley Kederminster
  • 694- 704 Fairview Road, Northborough
  • 108-129 Grampian Way in Foxborough
  • 1- 13 and 30-33 Hawthorne Crescent of Stewart Avenue in Baylis Stoke

Cabinet councillors also agreed that several parades of shops could be marketed on long leaseholds – although the council says it will keep ownership of any flats above them.

They are:

  • 74,80,82,86,88,90,96,98 And 104 Knolton Way
  • 5,7,9,11 And 13 Harrison Way
  • 84 Saint Andrews Way
  • 55 & 61, 53&59, and 51 Cheviot Road
  • 9 Minster Road
  • 2 and 6 Stonymeade
  • 9-14 Anslow Place Shops

The land at Tower and Ashbourne House in Chalvey which have been demolished has also been approved for sale.

Slough Borough Council has been given permission by the government to use up to £348 million from assets to help it pay off its debts and cover its costs.

However council leaders believe they’ll need permission to sell even more and are waiting for a response from the government.

The list of assets approved for sale by Slough Borough Council’s cabinet were all bought using the Housing Revenue Account – money ringfenced for the council’s housing revenue stock.

But money can only be transferred out of this account without any ‘detriment’ to the fund.

Councillor Wal Chahal, responsible for finance, said: “There are non-residential assets currently held within the HRA that are no longer required and can be sold.”