From Growth to Great Place: Putting Slough’s People at the Heart of Regeneration

There was a clear message from Slough Is Now’s presence at this year’s London Real Estate Forum (LREF): investment is fundamental to Slough’s future – not simply to build new places, but to create the foundations for regeneration, economic growth and greater opportunities for the people who live and work here.

The timing of this year’s LREF, during September, coincided with a significant phase in Slough’s evolution. Dr Dave Smith has joined Slough Borough Council as Managing Director Commissioner and Chief Executive. Pat Hayes, Executive Director of Regeneration, Environment and Planning, has departed following a four-year tenure that has played a significant role in stimulating Slough’s ongoing regeneration.

LREF is a high-profile annual event that aligns strongly with the ambitions of Slough Is Now. It provides an important pathway into the investment community, bringing together developers, investors, landowners and public-sector leaders.

For Slough, it creates an opportunity to turn that interest into a shared vision for the borough — working alongside neighbouring councils Hillingdon and Hounslow – to maximise the growth potential of the Heathrow corridor.

The opportunity now is to build on that momentum: connecting investment with place, infrastructure and opportunity, and ensuring that Slough’s regeneration delivers lasting economic and social value for the borough and those who live, work and play within its boundaries.

Turning Investment into Great Places

The conversation began at the Slough Is Now LREF Fringe event, hosted by RIOS architects. Participants were invited to think about what could be achieved with a hypothetical £100million of investment – and, crucially, where and how that significant investment could make the biggest difference.

The ideas were practical as well as ambitious, including a new 5,000 capacity music venue, culture and community spaces, greener streets, an innovation and AI centre with affordable workspace, and using heat from data centres in local homes, all while investing in spaces that can attract and retain young people.

These ideas connect directly with the regeneration already taking place. The Horlicks Quarter, being developed by Berkeley Homes, is demonstrating how a heritage site can be transformed into a new neighbourhood. Additionally, the Queensmere shopping centre redevelopment in presents an opportunity to revitalise the town centre to create a more attractive destination for residents, businesses and visitors.

Creating a Town Centre for Slough’s Next Generation

A particularly strong theme was the need to create a genuine sense of place around the railway station. As Pat Hayes put it: “Central Slough needs to be modernised, one example is to make the car a guest over its current overbearing role.”

Speaking at the Fringe event, as he prepares to depart Slough Council this month, Pat also reflected on the importance of thinking about the legacy of regeneration – not simply what gets built now, but what is left for the people who will live, work and grow up here in the years ahead.

What this means is thinking differently about the public realm, particularly adjacent to the railway station. That requires structuring more walking and cycling routes, stimulating independent shops, cafés and community spaces, alongside the potential for affordable housing.

Delivering more homes in urban areas is an issue that extends way beyond Slough. The complexity behind it was the subject of a private roundtable, held at the main LREF event: The Business of Density: Delivering Viable, Liveable Urban Growth. Hosted by Stantec, chaired by Jay Moron, Director at Bell Phillips and the incoming RIBA President (2027-2029), Pat Hayes attended on behalf of Slough is Now.

The session brought together a group of senior leaders from across the development, investment, housing and public sectors to explore practical solutions to the challenges of delivering urban growth and regeneration. The discussion focused on how we can unlock investment, overcome barriers to deliver and ensure that higher density developments create successful and sustainable places for communities.

Unlocking the Potential of the Heathrow Corridor

At the main Slough Is Now LREF session, ‘From Growth Corridor to Great Places’, speakers from Slough, Hillingdon, and Hounslow boroughs, and SEGRO, explored how collaboration could unlock the economic potential of the wider corridor – for the benefit of current residents alongside building capacity.

Slough sits on exceptional infrastructure – rail, road and air – while the wider area includes Heathrow, the UK’s largest single employment site. Yet the opportunity is about more than logistics, freight, aviation and data centres. It is about using that economic activity to generate better jobs, higher-value employment and stronger communities.

For developers and investors, greater collaboration between the three councils can provide greater certainty and a more strategic approach to planning, infrastructure and growth. For Slough, the objective is that investment needs to translate into tangible benefits locally.

Achieving this means connecting major developments with the town’s skills and employment ambitions, bringing SMEs into the supply chain and ensuring young people can access the jobs and careers being created. Slough’s forthcoming Employer Charter and wider engagement and skills strategy are important parts of that work.

It also means recognising the character of Slough. As one of the top three youngest and most diverse towns in the country, its future success depends on creating places where young people want to live, work and build their futures not simply depart at the earliest opportunity or daily commute.

Looking ahead ten years, the ambition is therefore not simply only about structural development. It requires a more diverse economy, enhanced connectivity, significant new housing and a stronger sense of place – with enhanced prosperity realised by Slough’s residents.

From LREF Conversation to Action

The Heathrow Corridor is a primary potential provider of this bold ambition. To achieve it, power and grid capacity, employment land and infrastructure require attention. A dedicated workstream will map future demand and constraints, while a shared approach to data centres and employment land will help ensure that investment is planned strategically rather than site by site.

Just as importantly, growth needs to be inclusive. Working with Heathrow, SEGRO and other major employers, colleges, universities and skills providers can help ensure that local people are equipped to access the jobs and careers created by the corridor’s growth, with measurable outcomes around recruitment, apprenticeships, progression and higher-skilled employment.

The relationships further built at LREF are an investor pipeline rather than simply an event follow-up. Conversations will evolve to meet the specific interests of investors and partners – from development and land to infrastructure, technology, skills and employment – to create tangible opportunities that work better for Slough’s next generation and its legacy beyond.

Slough’s continued regeneration and its growing impact will be further accelerated through the forthcoming second annual Slough Developers Forum. Taking place in quarter one of 2027, the event will build on last year’s dynamic inaugural Forum. The highly attended event will again bring together investors, developers, civic leaders and leading regional businesses to turn collaboratively Slough’s progressive vision into tangible delivery for the benefits of the residents and the future generations.

Watch this space to be able to sign up to attend the Slough Developers Forum 2027.

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