A formal petition opposing the sale of council land at Spackmans Way has landed on the desks of Slough Borough Council’s democratic services team. The paper petition, titled ‘Petition – Spackmans Way Asset Disposal’, appeared on the authority’s democracy portal on 26 June 2026, triggering a process that compels councillors to debate the Chalvey garage site’s future.
The Spackmans Way plot is one of 23 assets the council earmarked for sale in March 2025 as part of a wider disposal programme tied to its financial recovery. On 13 March 2025, the Cabinet Committee declared the garage site surplus to requirements and gave the green light for it to be marketed. The petition now forces a formal airing of residents’ objections before any final transfer can take place.
The push to offload land stems directly from the council’s effective bankruptcy in 2021, which left it grappling with a £760m borrowing bill. Government-appointed commissioners have since overseen the authority’s finances, and asset sales remain a cornerstone of the recovery plan. Councillor Wal Chahal, lead member for assets, said the disposal programme targets land where running costs outweigh benefits or where new uses could deliver greater community value.
Spackmans Way sits in the Chalvey ward, and the area is also home to the Household Waste Recycling Centre off White Hart Road. This petition is not the first time residents have pushed back against planned land sales. Similar efforts emerged in July 2025 over the Greenside residents’ car park and again in December 2025 when the Borderside garage land went under the hammer. Under the council’s petition rules, the document must now be formally debated, giving objectors a structured voice in the decision.
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