Plans submitted for 170 homes by Grand Union Canal in Slough

A developer has submitted plans for 170 homes by the Grand Union Canal in Slough which aims to create ‘a canal side destination for the whole community’.

The local authority bought the site at Stoke Wharf for £1.8million back in 2017 as part of a joint venture with the Canal and River Trust and Morgan Sindall, with an original plan to build 312 homes.

The planning permission for this was granted in 2023 but the council had to back out of the development because of its financial challenges.

Bellway Homes has since purchased the site and the developer shared the revised plans for 170 homes with the council during a pre-application meeting in July this year.

A full planning application was registered with council on Thursday (November 6), looking to demolish the existing buildings on site before the redevelopment starts.

In a design and access statement submitted as part of the application, Bellway Homes said: “Our vision is [to build] a new family-oriented residential quarter and a new canal side destination for the whole community.”

The previous application from 2020 which failed to come to fruition proposed 295 apartments and 17 houses, with 20 per cent affordable housing.

In comparison, Bellway Homes is now looking to build 59 affordable homes which will make up 35 per cent of the major redevelopment.

The affordable homes will be made up of affordable rent units or available to buy under shared ownership , with 33 one bed apartments and 16 two bed units planned.

Additional three bed apartments as well as two and three bedroom affordable homes will be available on site.

A total of 111 private homes are also planned including 46 four-bedroom houses and 25 three-bedroom houses. One and two-bedroom apartments are also planned.”

Each family home will have a private garden whilst ground floor apartments will have enclosed gardens or courtyards shared with neighbours.

The upper floor apartments will have balconies instead of gardens.

A total of 171 parking spaces are proposed with electrical vehicle charging points for each residential unit.

Only 95 of these spaces will be allocated for the future residents, while the rest would be unallocated or available for visitors.

The design and access statement sets out plans to make walking, cycling and public transport ‘attractive choices for short trips’.

To achieve this, new walking and cycling paths will be ‘revitalised’ along the south and north of the Grand Union Canal.

An existing bus stop along Stoke Road will be 'enhanced' and relocated to improve visibility.

Public spaces and plazas between the blocks of flats and homes will be facing the canal as well.

The design and access statement said: “The Grand Union Canal provides a defining edge and is embraced as both a natural asset and a movement spine.

“Each public greenspace is designed to be of sufficient scale and quality to accommodate landscaping, play, and social interaction, creating spaces that are attractive, safe, and well used by residents and visitors.”

Visit slough.gov.uk and search for P/07584/012 to view the full plans.