Council calls for progress on Queensmere shopping centre redevelopment

Progress needs to be made on the long-awaited redevelopment of the Queensmere Shopping Centre or planning permission will not be extended, Slough Borough Council has warned.

Developer British Land got the go ahead to overhaul the ageing shopping centre in September 2022 in a project which included plans for 1,600 homes, 40,000 sq ft of office space and new shops and bars.

But despite a number of shops on the western side of the Queensmere closing ahead of the planned redevelopment, progress on the project appears to have stalled.

The new Conservative-run Slough Borough Council faced written questions from opposition Labour councillors at a full council meeting on Thursday about how the major scheme is progressing.

A statement from the council said: “The (council) Leader has met with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and impressed upon them the need to either bring the approved scheme forward or sell the site to someone who can advance redevelopment.

“At the moment they are still working with their development manager to find ways to make the approved scheme viable in the light of cost inflation and other economic factors.”

The Queensmere Observatory shopping centre is owned by the ADIA, a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The scheme, known as Slough Central, is being delivered by property development firm British Land.

Slough Borough Council’s written response added: “The (council) Leader has impressed on ADIA that the planning consent will not be extended unless they have a clear plan to exit or move forward by the start of the New Year.”

British Land has been approached for comment.