Housing development plans 'scaled-back'

Plans for a scaled-down housing development by the Grand Union Canal in Slough have been unveiled

Plans for a scaled-back housing development have been unveiled to councillors.

Slough Borough Council purchased the Stoke Wharf site for £1.8m in 2017 and embarked on a joint venture with the Canal and River Trust and Morgan Sindall to build 312 homes.

Planning permission was secured in 2023, but the council backed out of the proposals due to its worsening financial position.

Councillors at a meeting heard the vision for the site is to "reimagine the site as a family-oriented residential quarter."

A deal has been agreed to sell the land to Bellway Homes and the developer is now in discussions with the council over a smaller scale 170-home development.

Plans are yet to be submitted for the new scheme, but developers have outlined a project focused on building family homes with three and four-bedroom properties.

The affordable housing plans are expected to reach the council's target of 30% but developers are still negotiating with planning officers.

Future residents of Stoke Wharf will have one space of allocated parking for each home.

Conservative Councillor Subhash Mohindra for Upton asked if more visitor parking should be explored for the plans.

Alex Hales, planning manager with Bellway Homes, said: "Visitors will come to the site; people will have family and friends over.

"The parking allocation that you saw had provision for some visitor parking spaces.

"We are trying to design the scheme in a way that discourages unauthorised parking. People will be encouraged to use alternative means of travel to get there."

There are no formal plans for any commercial or retail aspects on the site.

Councillors heard the planning application should be formally submitted later this year, in early autumn.