Planning round-up: Bid for more flats at large block approved for conversion

Pending: A proposal has been lodged to convert the last remaining parts of Charter Court, 50 Windsor Road, Slough, into three additional flats.

The five-storey office block, built in the early 1990s, has already been approved for 67 flats under prior approval in January and a further five in April, taking the total to 72.

This new application would bring the total number of homes to 75.

The building sits on a corner plot on Windsor Road, just outside the defined shopping centre but within the town centre.

It includes two basement levels used for parking and services.

The latest plan would convert service areas that are no longer needed, as they have been relocated into the existing basement plant room.

The three new flats would be:

• Flat 73 (second floor): one-bedroom, 37.03sqm
• Flat 74 (third floor): one-bedroom, 53.52sqm
• Flat 75 (third floor): two-bedroom, 65.71sqm

Car parking provision remains unchanged, with 133 spaces across the basements, including eight electric charging points.

Y/00022/036

Refused: Slough council has said no to a flat into a shop at number 80 Bath Road.

The building is a semi-detached two-storey. The adjoining property, 82, is use as Pizza Go Go, with a flat on the floor aove.

The subject property has been converted into two flats – one on the ground floor and the other on the first floor.

Previously and prior to the conversion (around 2007) the ground floor was occupied by a double-glazing retail outlet.

The applicants wanted to return it to retail use.

But Slough council refused for several reasons.

For one, the plan would get rid of a house that could still be lived in or improved, the council felt.

Turning it into commercial use would reduce housing supply, which goes against national and local planning policies.

The scheme also doesn’t provide enough parking spaces to meet Slough Borough Council’s standards.

This would likely cause more cars to park on the street or block the road, creating safety and access problems for both drivers and pedestrians.

Overall, the council says the development wouldn’t improve the area’s economic, social, or environmental conditions and doesn’t match the aims of planning policy.

P/01685/007

Approved: Plans have been approved to convert an office building in Wexham into 10 flats.

Lidstone Court, Uxbridge Road, is currently used as office space. It extends to 7,550sqft and has 32 parking spaces.

The property is part of the commercial units at Lidstone Court, which is classed as previously developed land.

The site is adjacent to the greenbelt settlement of George Green, though the property in question is part of the commercial units classed as previously developed land.

This means that while it’s still greenbelt, redevelopment may be considered more acceptable than building on untouched fields.

Neighbouring land falls within Flood Zone 3 – the highest risk of flooding.

The conversion will deliver 10 homes made up of seven one-bedroom flats, one two-bedroom flat and two three-bedroom flats.

Sixteen car parking spaces will be provided, along with 13 cycle spaces and three visitor bays.

A highways assessment shows the switch from office to residential use will reduce vehicle trips at peak times.

However, Wexham Parish Council asked for a full highways safety report, pointing to the history of accidents on the A412, the need for safer pedestrian access to shops and transport links in George Green.

Noise was also assessed; a report said the adjoining Mega-Pak Ltd only has two or three lorries loading or unloading at peak morning and evening weekday hours – thus concluded the noise impact on new residents would be ‘acceptably low.’

PL/25/2552/PAPCR