It’s all systems go as Slough Borough Council’s planning committee, Thursday 9 July, approved the master plan for the long awaiting Heart of Slough project, the £450m scheme to revitalise a 29-acre site in the centre of the town.
Andrew Blake-Herbert, Strategic Director of Resources for Slough Borough Council, said:“This approval gives us the go ahead to make Heart of Slough a reality. We’re committed to making Slough a great place to live, work and play. Heart of Slough is critical to that commitment. It will breathe new life into the town and give us another reason why we can be Proud to be Slough.”
The Heart of Slough project will be delivered by Slough Borough Council, the Homes and Communities Agency, and Development Securities. It will bring new homes, offices, hotels, retail and community facilities to the centre of Slough.
One of the most iconic changes will see the replacement of the existing Brunel bus station with a sleek modern design by Matthew Bedward of Bblur architects. The model for the bus station has already attracted the interest of the Royal Academy, which shortlisted it for the 2009 summer exhibition.
Another landmark building will be the Slough Learning Curve, which will be the home for the new central library, adult learning and cultural activities. The impressive glass fronted building has been designed to reflect and complement St Ethelbert’s church, reinforcing the church’s position as an important focal point for the town.
The Slough bus station is due for completion in early 2011, and the Learning Curve will be completed during 2012. Other parts of the project will take longer.
Andrew Blake-Herbert explained:“Only once the Learning Curve is complete and library services are up and running will the existing library be removed to make way for a new complex of shops, hotels and cafes.
In the same meeting, the planning Slough committee also approved the detailed plans for a new road layout to replace the existing Brunel roundabout. Incorporating interlinked traffic lights that communicate with each other, the new layout promises to improve traffic flow at this busy junction.
The removal of the roundabout will also free up wasted space, providing room for more open public spaces such as a plaza area around the church.
“We want to make Slough much easier to use by pedestrians and people who want to use public transport,” said Andrew Blake-Herbert. “So we’re providing open spaces for pedestrians and carefully placing pedestrian crossings to provide a natural and safe route between the bus and the railway stations and the town centre.”
The highways work will be funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the national housing and regeneration agency for England.
David Ashworth, South East Head of Area for the Homes and Communities Agency said: “We are delighted to have secured planning approval for the Heart of Slough project and look forward to working with Slough Borough Council and Development Securities to deliver the scheme.”
Development Securities will be providing office accommodation to attract new organisations into the town, building on Slough’s reputation as a location of choice for the European HQs of some of Europe’s most famous names.
Simon Hesketh, Development Director at Development Securities said: “The approval of the masterplan for Heart of Slough is the culmination of many years of close collaboration between Slough Borough Council, the HCA and us. We are all immensely proud to have achieved this milestone, and excited that the partnership can now commence the implementation phase.”
This timely decision follows the publication of Regeneration and the Recession, an all party Whitehall report released on 30 June, which encourages councils to work more closely with private sector partners and the HCA to ensure regeneration continues during recession.
Andrew Blake-Herbert, said: “Slough Borough Council is continuing to invest in the town during this difficult economic period. We’ve planned for this for a long time and the project is affordable, deliverable and inspirational.”
Slough Borough Council
