Planning what Slough will look like as well as how it will function to cater for more residents and businesses, is at the centre of the Spatial Strategy consultation which is now live.
Planning what Slough will look like as well as how it will function to cater for more residents and businesses, is at the centre of the Spatial Strategy consultation which is now live.
The consultation is open until Monday 11 January, 2021, for residents to comment on suggestions about how housing needs will be met, where businesses will go and what the town centre could look.
After assessing the community responses to the spatial strategy, the results will be used to underpin the Local Plan concepts which will shape Slough until 2036.
This important consultation with Slough residents looks different to other planning consultations due to Covid-19 and the restrictions on people congregating in lockdowns and regional restrictions.
As a result the council has created a leaflet and sent it to every home to show residents the plans and state how to have a say.
All the information is also at Slough Consultation Hub where comments and opinions can be left.
Responses must be received before 5pm on the final day of the consultation.
The plan tackles big issues like how to deal with the shortfall of around 5,000 homes in the borough whilst protecting family homes and suburbs, how to create employment, the future of the town centre and how to minimise the impact of new development and protecting the gap between the borough and greater London.
The strategy will also address how the town can sustain this growth, provide the appropriate levels of infrastructure and deliver housing growth in the parts of Slough that can best support it while protecting the character, nature and identity of the suburbs.
It is a perfect opportunity for residents to speak up and have a say on their future.
Cllr Pavitar K. Mann, cabinet member for planning and regulation, said: “The council’s Spatial Strategy will define the future roles of neighbourhoods and localities within Slough and how they relate to each other together.
“It is one of the building blocks to preparing an effective Local Plan which will project how Slough will develop from now until 2036, shaping the town as a prosperous, confident, dynamic, attractive, metropolitan place where people are proud to work, rest, play and stay.”
Cllr James Swindlehurst, council leader, said: “The centre of Slough will be an attractive, vibrant hub providing high quality offices, retail and leisure, landmark buildings and cultural opportunities for our diverse communities, Slough will be an “economic powerhouse” with a large skilled resident workforce and a reputation as an excellent place to do business. This will encourage established and new companies to invest and grow in the borough, creating yet more economic opportunities for our residents.
“Slough is already a well connected town and our aim is to further develop this over the life of the 15-year plan, with sustainable and accessible transport solutions delivered to meet the pressures of today. Accessibility will be improved through the development of convenient pedestrian, cycle and bus networks to reduce reliance on private vehicles and improve our natural environment.”
Residents can comment until Monday 11 January, 2021, online here slough.citizenspace.com.
Running parallel with the proposed spatial strategy is a Sustainability Appraisal which assesses how the proposed plan could be relevant economically, socially and environmentally.
Residents can also email comments to spatialstrategy@slough.gov.uk with the subject line Spatial Strategy Consultation; or by post to Slough Borough Council, Spatial Strategy Consultation, Planning Policy, Observatory House, 25 Windsor Road, SL1 2EL.
The full consultation document can be viewed online by searching for The Emerging Local Plan for Slough on Slough Borough Council website.
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