Visitors to Slough’s new Mega City entertainment venue will soon be able to access it directly from the Observatory Shopping Centre car park after plans for a pedestrian bridge were approved by the council.
Slough Borough Council has granted planning permission for the footbridge, which will link the town centre car park with the recently opened Mega City on Slough High Street.
The entertainment complex, which launched earlier this month, features more than 170 games and attractions, including laser tag, virtual reality experiences, interactive football karaoke, darts and batting cages, alongside a restaurant and bar.
The venue stays open until 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays and 11.30pm on other days.
Council planning documents said the bridge would improve access for visitors arriving via the Observatory Shopping Centre’s 830-space car park while also providing a more accessible route for wheelchair users and disabled visitors. Without the bridge, customers would need to leave the car park and walk a considerably longer route to reach the venue’s main entrance.
Planning officers concluded the bridge would provide “more convenient and improved access” to the attraction.
Construction will require the loss of three parking spaces, which the application said would not significantly affect the overall capacity of the car park.
Developers also argued the bridge would encourage greater footfall in the town centre, benefiting nearby businesses while improving the vitality of the area. The plans further state that increased pedestrian activity, surveillance and lighting could help deter crime and anti-social behaviour around the car park.
However, planning officers considered the possibility that the bridge could become redundant if Mega City were ever to close.
The council cited previous issues involving the disused Tesco Bridge, which became a hotspot for anti-social behaviour after falling out of use.
To prevent similar problems, planners attached a condition requiring the bridge to be removed if Mega City ceases operating.
Planning documents also state the bridge will be modest in scale, positioned high enough to minimise its visibility from Slough High Street, and constructed using durable materials designed to reduce future maintenance.
Residents can view the approved plans on Slough Borough Council’s planning portal using reference P/10639/007.
