Plans have been approved for 315 homes in Windsor on a site which has been derelict for 14 years.

The Royal Borough’s Windsor and Ascot development management committee approved plans by Elysian Residences for blocks of up to seven floors which includes 197 Build-to-Rent homes and 118 extra care properties at the former Rank Hovis MacDougall site in Alma Road.

The site has remained empty while two previous applications, both successful on appeal, have failed to go ahead. In 2011 a scheme for 25,464 sq m of offices was approved and in 2019, plans were approved for 16,389 sq m of offices with 217 flats.

Arguments were made over the lack of affordable homes, inadequate sewage infrastructure and parking.

The new scheme offers no affordable housing. Elysian Residences argued it stands to make a profit of just £3.2 million (1.7 per cent) and therefore affordable homes would make it unviable.

Cllr Carole Da Costa questioned the amount of car parking provided – 38 spaces for the 197 BTR flats and 45 for the 118 extra care flats and said it was at least 59 spaces short.

After Cllr Julian Tisi argued in favour of the scheme, Cllr Da Costa argued against the demographic she felt it would attract.

Cllr Da Costa said: “I don’t think we need development for the ageing, rich population. I think we need something that is going to give homes to the young families within our borough.

“We are losing our children and one day that will be your children Cllr Tisi, because mine have gone because they can’t afford to live here.”

Cllr Tisi said the council did not have the luxury of other many alternative developers seeking planning permission for the site.

He said: “No-one else has applied. It would be lovely if there were lots of other applicants chomping at the bit.

“It would be lovely if we had an applicant who said they want to build a whole lot of affordable homes or a whole lot of social housing ‘it’s going to look lovely’ etc.

“That would be a slam dunk, but we don’t have slam dunks here. We have what is in front of us.”

The vote to approve the scheme was five – two with one abstention.

Also at the meeting, plans to put up the Royal Windsor Wheel in Alexandra Gardens were approved. The viewing platform, similar to the London Eye, will operate until September 17.

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