Council could release greenbelt sites

SLOUGH: A consultation to gather views on the council potentially building family homes on multiple greenbelt sites in Slough has been given the go-ahead,

Senior councillors at Slough's cabinet meeting gave the thumbs up for officers to set up a public survey to get comments from residents on the possibility of releasing some greenbelt sites as the council searches for available land to build family housing.

The borough is facing a housing shortfall of 5,000 and is running out of space to build new homes due to a ‘lack of brownfield sites’ to meet its growing population and demand.

Sites that the council considers to be ‘suitable’ include land at Upton Court Farm, land east of Rochfords Gardens, land to the rear of Opal Court, Wexham Street, and land east of Wexham Park Hospital.

Building homes on land south of Blenheim Road could be possible, but heritage objections the housing may cause to nearby Ditton Park Historic Park and Garden will have to be overcome.

The northern expansion – which the council seeks to add up to 10,000 homes in South Bucks – could remain an opportunity. Sites such as St Anthony’s Field and in the whole of Colnbrook have been ruled out.

Planning policy manager Paul Stimpson said these sites can only be released via the local plan where the council can get an agreed amount of housing mix, such as three-beds and four-bedroom homes, and will make sure between 30 and 40 per cent of the mix will be affordable and social housing.

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