Backing for town's £400m makeover

An artist's impression of Slough's proposed new library

The Berkshire town of Slough, derided in a popular comedy and a famous poem, is to receive a £400m facelift.

Recommendations for the Heart of Slough project were approved at a meeting of the town's cabinet on Wednesday.

Included in the project are plans to replace Brunel roundabout, as featured in title sequence of the BBC's hit series The Office, with a crossroads.

The project also includes 1,300 new homes, offices, relocation of the main bus station and a new library.

'Massively exciting'

Construction of the scheme could start in 2008 for completion in 2011, subject to planning approval.

Councillor Dexter Smith, Slough Borough Council's commissioner for planning and transport, said: "The Heart of Slough is a massively exciting, physical regeneration project, which will completely change the image of Slough.

"Key to the project will be a commitment to high-quality design, sustainable and energy efficient housing and commercial buildings, new urban open spaces and improved public transport."

As well as being the home of Wernham Hogg, the fictional paper merchants in The Office, the town was the subject of a critical poem by Sir John Betjeman, who wrote "Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough, it isn't fit for humans now". His daughter has since said he regretted writing the poem.