Agenda item

Paul Stimpson, Planning Policy Lead Officer, outlined a report detailing the Proposed Spatial Options for the Review of the Local Plan. 

Members were reminded that a previous report had highlighted the key issues  for the Review of the Local Plan and their comments regarding the proposed options would be taken into account prior to the production of a draft of the Consultation document. A Member workshop on 27^th October would enable discussion around key issues and a further report would be submitted to the Planning Committee on 2^nd November. Final approval of the Issues and Options plan would be sought from Cabinet on 21^st November prior to a six week consultation period on the final document in January.

  The Officer highlighted important issues such as how much growth the plan would provide for given the shortage of land for development, and the  potential impact of development on the quality of the environment. It was considered that the objective should be to aim to meet housing needs within Slough and make sure that the town’s economy continued to provide new jobs in Slough, whilst creating future potential in the town centre.

The Committee noted that a Sustainability Appraisal was being undertaken for the plan to ensure the best balance between the social, economic and environmental pressures facing Slough.  A number of strategic spatial options for the Review of the Local Plan were under consideration for use in the public consultation and these included the expansion of Slough and Langley Town Centres, intensification of the suburbs and the Northern expansion of Slough (new ‘Garden Suburb’ within South Bucks). The options would form the basis of the Issues and Options report that would go out for public consultation in January. It was highlighted that  the options which involved building in other districts could not be delivered through the Review of the Local Plan for Slough and these would have to be progressed through the Duty to Cooperate process.  It would not be appropriate to identify specific sites at this stage.

Members noted that the consultation document would contain a ‘do nothing’ option for people to comment upon and this would set out what the implications of this would be.

In the ensuing debate the Committee commented on the report and raised a number of questions of detail.  Members asked how Options such as Bloom Park were selected and were advised that these were identified through the Call for Sites exercise. All submitted options would be considered under the consultation process.

In response to a further question the Officer advised that the ‘Central Cippenham Strip’ was identified as a general area but this major site needed further refinement . Consideration would also be given to the desirability of major shopping centres given the ongoing increase in internet shopping. This was also a matter for the owners of such sites to consider.

Concerns were expressed around congestion should another 600 homes be developed in the Langley area and the Committee was advised that a study had been commissioned to explore this issue. It was emphasised that there were few facilities for residents in Langley and it was important that residents could access these without having to travel to other locations in Slough. Members also discussed the likelihood of the ‘Garden Suburb’ becoming a reality and the measures that other Authorities were taking to achieve their housing needs.

A Member highlighted the need to have a good split between family houses with gardens and flats rather than a high number of the latter. The Officer advised that it was likely that there could be an 80% proportion of flats to houses in future and that the town could eventually resemble a London Borough. Some locations such as Herschel would retain their character but areas such as the Windsor Road could continue to provide developments of flats. However, suburban areas would be protected as much as possible.

Members also expressed the concern that the Local Plan should feed in to other Directorates within the Council to address the future increased needs for transport, health and education. It was acknowledged that this was already happening and that the Wellbeing Strategy had identified the need for further housing.  Members were concerned that some of the sites identified would not be able to accommodate a school to meet the needs of residents and the Officer confirmed that matters around the infrastructure would be addressed.

Resolved  -  That the report be noted.