6 MARCH 2017

Slough Local Plan Consultation Response

South Bucks District Council and Chiltern District Council have submitted a joint response to Slough Borough Council’s recent local plan consultation.

Slough are in the early stages of preparing a new local plan. Their recent consultation sets out Slough BC’s views on the major planning issues they will be facing over the next 20 years and their thinking on possible options for where Slough’s housing and other growth might take place.

South Bucks District Council and Chiltern District Council have welcomed the fact that Slough BC are preparing a new local plan which will include a significant increase in housing development within Slough. The two District Councils have objected to Slough’s options which would see the development of thousands of homes on Green Belt land within South Bucks District. Slough’s options include a northern expansion of the town which could include East Burnham, Stoke Green, Wexham Street, George Green, Middle Green and Shreding Green and land between Slough and Richings Park and at Taplow and Iver.

South Bucks and Chiltern District Councils are preparing their own joint local plan. The Councils have looked at the possibility of housing growth to the north of Slough but have rejected it because it would conflict with national planning policy for the Green Belt.

It will not be possible to build homes to meet Slough’s needs within South Bucks and Chiltern Districts because the two Districts cannot meet their own needs in a sustainable way. This means the Slough Local Plan needs to look at other options, both within its own boundaries and across Berkshire.

South Bucks District Councillor Nick NAYLOR, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Development said: “We welcome the fact they are consulting with us at this early stage. However, we believe that Slough Borough Council hasn’t, so far, met the requirement to test a full range of reasonable options for accommodating their housing and economic growth. We feel that Slough needs to be looking more closely at what scope there might be within the Borough and across Berkshire. We object to an expansion of Slough into South Bucks District which would be contrary to Green Belt policy. We will continue to work with Slough BC to ensure that our objections are taken on board before Slough BC progresses it local plan.”

To see the full consultation response please visit the Planning Policy pages at www.southbucks.gov.uk