IT’S that time of the week again where we reveal the five most interesting planning applications determined or submitted to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead as well as Slough Borough Council.
This week’s edition includes the return of Lynwood Avenue, a councillor asking for a ‘call-in’ over ten apartments, and a newsagent to be converted into a one-bedroom flat.
Two new detached houses with four-bedrooms at Lynwood Wood Avenue, Slough (P/12604/003).
Remember this? The Observer previously reported on Lynwood Avenue back in January when a number of residents of the street objected to a previous application of five homes being built behind 12 Lynwood Avenue with an additional house replacing 14 at a planning committee meeting.
A packed room of residents complained the six dwellings would increase noise and traffic congestion as well as the designs conflicting with the street’s 1930’s architecture.
After overwhelming protest, the applicant has gone back to the drawing board and has submitted a new application where only two houses have been proposed resulting in four car movements – reducing the level of traffic along the road.
14 Lynwood Avenue would be partially demolished to form a new access to the side and each house will have parking space, access and amenity space.
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Construction of ten apartments following demolition of existing building at Castle Hill, Maidenhead (20/00936/FULL).
Planning officers are still yet to determine plans to demolish a large two-storey residential dwelling which is roughly triangular in shape.
This is a change from previous approved plans at the site where the applicant has found better use of the land to include more apartments such as replacing the previous large two-bedroom flats with a one-bedroom and two-bedroom flat.
The scheme now has nine two-bedroom flats with one one-bedroom flat and 11 parking spaces.
Four residents have objected to the plans saying the development will impact the notable buildings and area – calling the proposed plans ‘generic’.
One neighbour said: “It is proposed to destroy a number of mature trees, the impact of which is an environmental disaster. Whilst it is proposed to replace these with new trees, it will take decades to reach the maturity of those in place now.”
They also added it will impact parking and vehicular access as the street already has parking issues and it will just increase vehicle traffic.
Councillor John Baldwin (Liberal Democrat: Belmont) has emailed officers for the application to be called in – which means a councillor can ask the planning committee to consider an application that would usually be decided by an officer.
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Replacement of existing shop with new shop and flat at 399-401 Bath Road, Slough (P/03026/003).
Plans have been submitted to demolish units 399a and 401 and replace it with a single commercial unit with attached kitchen and office and a two-bedroom residential flat above.
The proposed designs have been resubmitted from previous applications – but no changes have been made.
The proposal is to increase the shop floor area by 1.5m2 to 45.7m2 – 12.5m2 of office, kitchen and toilet facilities is provided to the rear of the shop.
An email sent from an anonymous person objected to the plans stated: “This application also can only be a disruption and loss of business and service to a community who have served us, as we have served them over the years.”
Office building to be changed to residential flats at Leworth Place, Mellor Walk, Windsor (20/00922/CLASSO).
Previous plans have been amended from nine flats to eight flats to include small mezzanine platforms within three of the flats.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council has approved plans to change office space into eight flats.
The office building has now been vacated and has proved difficult to re-let, according to the applicant.
No objections have been received and the applicant said this change will cause less traffic, parking and noise than when it was of office use.
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Birdi Newsagent to change to one residential unit at St Leonards Road, Windsor (20/01283/FULL).
The mid-terrace Victorian building – which has been family owned for over 50 years – might be converted to a one-bedroom residential flat.
The applicant claims the building is in a ‘poor state’ of repair after it ceased trading back around March 2018 when it was no longer sustainable and their estate agent pointed out the market in that area is for residential rather than retail.
The first floor of the building, however, remained in constant use as residential.
The ground floor retail unit will be converted into a single bedroom flat which will involve a small single storey extension to the rear of the property, the existing shop front to be removed and elevated, the external staircase to be removed so it no longer identifies as a retail outlet, and a new dormer window.
The building used to be a bicycle shop before changing to a newsagent.
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