51 flats plan in Slough refused for SECOND time

Applicant Slough Propinvest Ltd had its fresh plans to redevelop the three-storey Automotive House in Grays Place to build 51 flats consisting of 24 one-beds and 27 two-bedroom apartments, refused by councillors for a second time.

No affordable housing is proposed and there are only two car parking spaces for disabled residents.

A previous application for 61 flats was thrown out last year by councillors sitting on the planning committee as they slammed the developer for making a “mockery” out of the council’s affordable housing policy as none were proposed.

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Planning officers also recommended it for refusal due to parking issues and the building’s height, bulk, and massing as it would clash with the street’s character as well as being overbearing to the adjacent properties.

Despite reducing the number of flats by 10, officers still believed this doesn’t mitigate their previous concerns and urged councillors sitting on Tuesday’s planning committee to refuse the scheme.

Planning officer Alistair de Joux said: “They [the developer] made some improvements to address our previous concerns from the previous application but we don’t believe it’s gone far enough.”

Another CGI of the scheme

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Peter Goatley QC said the building’s height and width have been reduced “substantially” and will move the building away from the adjacent properties to ease concerns.

He said: “This scheme has been subject to review and a discreet townscape analysis [has been done] by independent consultants and that confirms the appropriateness of the chosen approach.”

He also said the lack of a wind assessment study is “ill-founded” as the council did not ask for this, but a study was provided at the previous application where it found no issue.

Planning officers confirmed they didn’t request this study because they were “very clear from the start” that this revised plan “was not acceptable” and should be brought forward to the planning committee as soon as possible for consideration.

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Cllr Pavitar Kaur Mann (Lab: Britwell & Northborough), lead member for planning, said: “I was very critical of the previous scheme that came forward for refusal.

“This site is suitable for residential development and is suited for higher density given its town centre location.

“We also appreciate we don’t have a five-year housing land supply but that does not mean that gives carte blanche to substandard developments that, in my view, represent a substantial overdevelopment of the site.”