Maidenhead Town Forum
Wednesday 26 March 2014 6.30 pm
MAIDENHEAD TOWN FORUM
26 MARCH 2014
PRESENT: Councillors Philip Love (Chairman), Claire Stretton (Vice Chair), Charles Hollingsworth, Hari Dev Sharma, Simon Werner and Derek Wilson.
Also Present: Councillors Clive Bullock, Marion Mills and MJ Saunders.
Bob Dulson (Civic Society).
Officers: Phillip Hylton, Steph James, Gail Kenyon and Tanya Leftwich.
PART I
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None were received.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Philip Love declared an interest in the agenda as he was on the Maidenhead Development Control Panel and a member of PRoM and Maidenhead Town Partnership.
Councillor Claire Stretton declared an interest in the agenda as she was on the Maidenhead Development Control Panel and a member of PRoM and Maidenhead Town Partnership.
Councillor Derek Wilson declared an interest in the agenda as was the Chairman for the Maidenhead Development Control Panel and a member of PRoM.
MINUTES
- RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Forum held on 9 October 2013 be approved.
THE MAIDENHEAD REJUVENATION ‘STORY’
The Chairman explained that this meeting had been arranged so that Members could turn the spotlight on the many and varied elements of the Town Centre ‘jigsaw’ and give everyone the opportunity to get an update on progress. It was noted that a meeting had been held to discuss the Stafferton Link Road but that the low turnout had been disappointing. The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting today.
The Chairman went onto explain that Gail Kenyon, Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager, and Steph James, Maidenhead Town Centre Manager were both heavily involved in the Transforming Maidenhead campaign, run jointly by the Royal Borough and Partnership for the Rejuvenation of Maidenhead (PRoM), to promote the Town and its commercial advantages to high level developers and investors.
The Chairman explained that an article had been published in the Daily Telegraph which had listed Maidenhead to be recommended as being the fourth most attractive place in the world to visit, mainly because of Crossrail. It was noted that Crossrail would cost £50billion and link 38 stations. Members were informed that Maidenhead had been listed as the second best place in the UK for property to let. It was noted that Maidenhead had ranked seventh in the UK Vitality Index and had been ranked first equal in three sets – most affluent, most entrepreneurial (business start ups) and most productive (economically). Members were informed that Maidenhead had the highest weekly wage of all the towns surveyed.
The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager, and Maidenhead Town Centre Manager, gave Members an update presentation on the Maidenhead Rejuvenation ‘Story’. A copy of the presentation was available from the Clerk.
The presentation covered the following:
- Maidenhead Area Action Plan (AAP).
- People want to see……
- Photos of Maidenhead.
- Transforming Maidenhead promotional video.
- Action Plan for Maidenhead Town Centre.
- What is Maidenhead Town Centre Regeneration all about?
- The opportunity areas in Maidenhead.
- Waterways.
- Crossrail.
- Public Realm Improvements.
- Some Key Projects.
- Some Key Issues.
- Our Town Centres now………..
- The downward spiral of decline on the High Street.
- The National Picture – town centres across the country are still suffering.
- Enjoy Maidenhead.
- Some facts and figures……
In the ensuing discussion, the following points were noted:
- The Chairman remarked that it was easy to forget the major significance that two major UK companies, ‘Adobe’ and ‘3’, had chosen to relocate their Head Offices to Maidenhead.
- The Chairman thanked Bob Dulson for spending four years of his life chairing PRoM with the regeneration of Maidenhead Town Centre, and Richard Davenport for spending eight years of his life and now Chair of the Maidenhead Waterways project.
- The Chairman informed everyone present that he had just heard that Crossrail would be extending the line to Reading.
- It was noted that 80% of the shops in Maidenhead were open on a Sunday and that there was free parking in Maidenhead on every Sunday.
- Members were informed that some residents found it difficult to find information about what was being planned for Maidenhead. The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager explained that information could be found on a website http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/prom.htm and that information was also available on the front page of the RBWM website. It was also noted that the Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Managers business card had a QR code on it that could be used to link to the website It was noted that officers had produced a booklet for Maidenhead which would be a central point for information about the regeneration plans.
- It was noted that the AAP showed what would broadly happen and it was noted that residents would start to see things starting to happen in the next 12-24 months.
- It was noted that the Broadway Plaza was looking to make a shift from being retail led to more residential/office development. It was noted that the ground floor would remain retail whilst the remaining space would become high end offices and residential developments.
- Members were informed that 733 additional homes had originally been suggested in the AAP but it had already been suggested to revise this figure to 1400.
- Councillor Saunders assured those present that the infrastructure to cope with additional people in Maidenhead was being arranged, although it was too soon to identify the locations of new schools, doctors, etc.
- Members were informed that the Highways Team were already aware of the pinch points in Maidenhead.
- Residents were encouraged to have their say via their Neighbourhood Plans.
- Residents were reassured that each development proposed should be self sufficient with regard to car parking provision.
- It was noted that the Broadway Plaza was planning to have underground parking.
- It was noted that the Council hoped to increase the parking spaces in the Stafferton Way South Car Park if funding became available through recent bids.
- It was noted that the Council hoped to have a deliverable plan with regard to parking in Maidenhead available in the next few months.
- Councillor Saunders explained that self builds within the Town Centre would be quite complicated unless the person wanting to proceed with the self build already owned the plot of land in question. With regard to self builds outside the Town Centre Councillor Saunders explained that the Council was extremely open minded to these types of propositions. It was noted that self builds and bungalows should be encouraged in and around Maidenhead.
- It was noted that the Council was not a main land owner outside the Town Centre and that 83% of the land outside the Town Centre was either on the GreenBelt or on the flood plain.
- Bob Dulson informed Members that the South Bucks plans for Skindles would be available to view on the 15 and 22 April 2014.
- The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager stated that working closely with neighbouring authorities with regard to communication and collaboration was very important.
- The Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager confirmed that although Crossrail planned to go to Reading, Maidenhead would still be the end of the line.
- Councillor Saunders explained that they were planning the rejuvenation so that a department store could be added at a later date.
- It was noted that a new Director of Regeneration and Economic Development had been employed and would be starting in May to work with the Planning Infrastructure and Regeneration Manager and Maidenhead Town Centre Manager.
- Councillor Wilson informed everyone present that there would be a number of squares in Maidenhead where activities would be held.
- Councillor Clare Stretton reassured residents that Maidenhead should eventually be like the lanes in Brighton as there were lots of artists in Maidenhead. It was noted that coming to Maidenhead had to be considered ‘an experience’.
- It was suggested that the rowing / punting would attract people to Maidenhead.
- It was suggested that a permanent artisan market would be an attraction.
ITEM SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE FORUMS
The Chairman informed everyone present that future meetings would be a forum where ideas could be put forward and discussed as decided as to whether they were believed to be feasible.
It was requested that item suggestions be emailed to tanya.leftwich@rbwm.gov.uk
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Members noted that the date of the next meeting would be confirmed by the Clerk.
The Chairman requested that agenda item suggestions be emailed to the Clerk of the Forum at tanya.leftwich@rbwm.gov.uk
MEETING
The meeting, which began at 6.30pm, ended at 8.15pm.