Former police station homes plan approved

The proposals include plans for nine affordable homes

Plans to replace a long-vacant police station with flats and houses have been approved, despite being called "ill thought-out" by a councillor.

Developers Elstree Land plan to demolish the former police station on Langley High Street and replace it with a four-storey block of 29 homes.

Slough Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans at a recent meeting.

In a written objection, Conservative councillor Adil Iftakhar said the project was "clearly ill thought-out".

Mr Iftakhar, who represents the Langley St Mary's ward, said the proposal "goes against the fundamental principles of sustainable development".

The site has been vacant since 2018

Recommending the plans be approved, council planning officers said the housing would "bring a former redundant site back into use, making the best use of previously developed land".

The proposals include plans for nine of the new homes to be saved for affordable housing.

Thames Valley Police vacated the then council-owned building in 2018.

At the time, the authority said it hoped to develop it into a community hub and affordable housing.

Planning permission for the conversion of the building into homes – including a house of multiple occupation for young adults – was awarded in 2021.

But the council had to ditch the plans after going effectively bankrupt in 2021, and sold the property to Elstree Land in March this year.