Slough is a small, densely built up borough, surrounded by green belt and with its urban area constrained by the M4. These constraints, and tightly drawn political boundaries, provide challenges when designing in the town. 

However, change is underway: ambitious plans include a transformation of Slough's town centre, with benefits to its future prosperity that will attract businesses.

The need for housing continues to be significant, and there is potential to address this in the area known as "The Square Mile". As well as there, there are opportunities for environmental improvements, with plans to reduce the reliance on cars by replacing traffic-clogged roads with walkable tree-lined streets and link Slough’s centre linked to parks and the Grand Union Canal.

Users of VU.CITY Slough are using the model’s many benefits, from being able to understand and assess a site’s opportunities and challenges, testing refined designs in context, enhancing pre-app conversations and planning submissions, to improving how everyone involved collaborates.