A ‘dangerous’ and ‘unacceptable’ plan to demolish a row of shops and replace it with a large block of flats is set to be decided on by councillors.

Real estate company Mirenpass Ltd has applied for permission to demolish the parade of shops from 17-31 Elmshott Lane in Cippenham. A block of 69 flats with nine ground floor shops would be built in its place.

But more than 100 residents have signed a petition to Slough Borough Council branding the scheme ‘dangerous’ and ‘totally unacceptable’.

The petition – signed by 116 people – says: “We, the residents of Cippenham, strongly oppose the proposed redevelopment plans,” adding that the scheme ‘is not in line with the character of the area’.

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It says the block of flats – some four storeys high – is larger than other buildings on Elmshott Lane.

It also said proposals to provide just 26 parking spaces for the 69 flats were ‘completely unacceptable’.

The petition warned that an increase in on-street parking would ‘pose a huge safety risk to school children’ at Cippenham School on the opposite side of the road.

The proposal is the latest attempt by developers to get planning permission for a large block of flats on Elmshott Lane.

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Two previous applications have already been rejected by Slough Borough Council and then rejected on appeal by the planning inspectorate.

A Government planning inspector ruled in 2019 that the first application – for 119 flats – should be refused planning permission because of the impact on the area, the living conditions of some residents and neighbours, and a lack of affordable housing.

wWhat Mirenpass Ltd says the development on Elmshott Lane would look like (Image: Mirenpass Ltd) The second attempt was rejected in 2022, with a planning inspector decided that a four storey building would be ‘significantly larger and bulkier’ than surrounding buildings. She said it would be ‘visually dominant and overbearing’ on Elmshott Lane.

Architects for the developers say new designs should overcome previous reasons for refusal with mansard roofs – where the fourth floor is in the roof of the building – and pitched roofs at lower levels.

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But Slough Borough Council planning officers are still recommending that councillors vote to refuse the plans.

Despite residents’ fears, officers say the proposed level of parking spaces is acceptable. They say that 63 per cent of the new residents would have to ‘live car free’.

Yet council planning rules say even zero parking spaces would be acceptable in the Elmshott Lane shopping area, where there are double yellow lines and Burnham station is a nine minute walk.

But planning officers say the four-storey height would be ‘atypical’ on Elmshott Lane and still ‘appear visually dominant and overbearing’.

Councillors on Slough’s planning committee are set to make a decision on Wednesday, November 27.