focus on slough
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Today Slough is home to 4,600 businesses and its highly competitive and dynamic business environment contributes around £8 billion to the national economy – double the UK average.
Slough, with a GVA 30% higher than the national average, was rated as the second ‘most productive place per worker’ in the UK, behind London, according to the Centre for Cities Outlook 2017 study.
It hosts internationally recognisable brands including Lego, Reckett Benckiser, , Blackberry, O2, LG, Fiat, Burger King, Mars, Ferrari.
A town shaking off its perception issues
Those words of Betjeman and Gervais have created an enduring and downbeat public perception of Slough – a perception that today is misleading and largely unwarranted.
Situated at the gateway to the Thames Valley and London, Slough is undoubtedly one of the most business-friendly locations in Europe. But the town is not sitting on its industrious laurels.
While nearby national air, rail and road infrastructure development issues are being resolved, Slough as a town community is getting itself ‘ready for take-off.’
In 2013, Slough Borough Council and Morgan Sindall Investments (MSIL) formed Slough Urban Renewal (SUR) – a 15-year joint venture to deliver regeneration across the borough.
SUR is delivering a wide range of improved residential, commercial, educational, leisure, health and social infrastructure projects – which together should radically change perceptions of Slough.
“Our purpose is to help transform the
borough for all who live and work here,” says SUR general manager Andy Howell. “The changes taking place will embrace and enhance all that Slough already has to offer and create an even better quality of life for everyone.”
Slough’s rail and strikingly re-styled bus stations have already been upgraded and fresh town regeneration projects – amounting to more than £1b – are underway:
• In September 2016, SUR’s first major development, The Curve, opened to the public. An iconic building within a pedestrian-friendly area, it now provides residents with a stylish 4,500 sq m facility, incorporating a library, cultural space, registrar’s office, a theatre and performance space, plus other civic amenities.
• Milestone on the old town hall site is SUR’s first housing scheme and marks a fresh quality of residential new-builds in Slough. Milestone has 73 dwellings – 49 houses, 24 apartments – with a mix of affordable and open-market properties. So far, 90% of the houses are sold – all to owner-occupiers.
• The Old Library site is set to be transformed by two new Marriott hotels with over 200 rooms, a ground floor restaurant and bar plus further residential development in this landmark location between the station and town centre.
• Construction commenced last June at SUR’s Wexham Green scheme of 104 homes comprising high-quality two, three and four bed houses. Sales are due to commence this spring.
• Further residential housing is scheduled at Eschle Court, Upton Road, Alpha St North and more than 20 further infill sites.
Image credit: Strutt & Parker
• Developments at seven schools to provide new quality teaching space plus new Farnham Road and Langley leisure centres,
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improved community sports facilities at Arbour Park, and refurbishment of the Ice Arena.
• The Slough Mass Rapid Transit (SMaRT) bus scheme, backed by Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, will create a priority bus lane along the A4 entering the town centre.
Other major private developments are also enhancing Slough’s regeneration:
• The first major office development in Slough for eight years – 25 Windsor Road – was completed last month. The new Grade A 110,000 sq ft six-storey office headquarters development by XLB/LRE Capital at the former Observatory House, has been designed to an exceptionally high standard with open-plan floorplates, unparallelled parking and contemporary, modern finishes throughout.
• Adjacent to Slough Railway Station, The Porter Building will later this year become a new-build 119,400 sq ft four-storey gateway showpiece of the Heart of Slough regeneration. Developed by a joint venture between Landid and Brockton Capital, the building is designed to meet a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ Standard. It is also likely to become the first UK office development to gain international WELL Building Institute certification, which focuses on employee workplace well-being.
• Funded by Ashby Capital, The Future Works Building, next to Slough bus and train station, is the first phase of a 2.5 acre three-phase development by U+I. It will comprise 99,782 sq ft of prime office space and is currently under construction with practical completion on programme for delivery in Q1 2018. The Future Works has been awarded a Platinum WiredScore connectivity rating, the highest level achievable.
• In November the Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre was
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – APRIL 2017
25 Windsor Road – image credit: Strutt & Parker
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