Forum to be addressed by Ian Brazier-Dubber and Emmanuel Ogedengbe.

Ian Brazier-Dubber, Managing Director, RBWM Property Company Ltd, introduced himself and gave an update on all the regeneration sites. The regeneration sites included the joint venture with Countryside Homes which managed the development of four sites, York Road, St Clouds Way, Reform Road and West Street, in the centre of the town. Secondly, there was the joint venture with Cala Homes which related to the development of the golf course. The Property Company also managed a small scale of development of affordable development assets, providing a choice of affordable homes and homes for temporary homelessness.

For York Road, the first two buildings had been completed, the affordable homes had been sold to Housing Solutions in the borough and the rest of the properties residential sales were at fifty percent sold. The south part of York Road, the former WRVS site was currently going through the vacant procession process and would come forward in spring 2022.

The planning application by Countryside Homes was going to the planning committee on Wednesday 15 December, for approval, for the redevelopment of the Magnet Leisure Centre site at St Clouds Way. The development would provide a range of 434 apartments and a range of one and two bed apartments across the whole site with a parking ratio of 0.78 to 0.80. The site would provide a range of accessible and affordable homes. If the planning application was to pass, development would begin in spring 2022 for three years.

The CALA Homes joint venture for the golf course was subject to the allocation of the local brough plan.

The property company were also working with development partners in the town centre such as the development of the Landings by Hub Developments and also the ongoing proposed redevelopment of the Nicolson Centre which was going through the planning system. It had received planning consent and had also been post planning negotiating the Section 106 agreement which would provide a range of public goods but also potentially a range of affordable homes. Other areas such as Windsor and Ascot were being looked at for opportunities to actually provide a range of choice of affordable homes for a range of customers and also residents in the borough.

The Chairman asked about the Magnet Leisure Centre site and the two doctor’s surgery’s, the dentist and the chemist and parking. Currently, the patients using the facilities were using the RBWM car park. The Chairman was concerned about the parking provision for the staff and patients, going forward. The allocated space looked very small. Ian Brazier-Dubber commented that the current proposals for St Clouds Way by Countryside did not materially affect the existing parking arrangements. There were 17 parking spaces in their footprint and then there was a lease from the borough to the surgery for a further twenty spaces to the north. These would remain in situ and managed as part of the process as the first phase of the development came forward.

Lisa Hughes asked about Nicholson Centre and it requiring demolition for the new one to be built. Lisa Hughes asked about blue badge spaces and ShopMobility would be located during the process. Ian Brazier-Dubber responded that these would be re-

established on West Street car park, north of the High Street.

Peter Haley asked a few questions and thanked the Property Company for confirmation of West Street car park. Peter Haley asked for any guidance for timescales would assist them. Peter Haley continued that the numbers of people coming to the shopping centre had declined, was anything being done to address this by the borough or the Chamber of Commerce? Ian Brazier-Dubber commented that some strands were being considered to sustain the town centre, these would come to fruition in the New Year.

The Chairman asked about where the current shops would be moved and was informed that some had already been moved, some would be moved by the waterside and others on the High Street. The Chairman commented that having lost the Post Office from the High Street it is possible that the Post Office could be lost again.

Dominic Manley asked about the timing for the Golf Centre and Ian Brazier-Dubber informed all that the golf course was going through the local plan process that set out all the development policies for the borough. The plan had gone through the public inquiry and scrutiny and was currently with the inspectorate and was due to be published before Christmas but was now with the Department of levelling up and communities and had to go through a number of quality control checks. The timing of the Nicholson Centre was at completion of the Section 106 agreement for planning consent. There were other processes after this, so the likelihood of development beginning was November 2022. Peter Haley asked if Marks and Spencer and Boots would remain on the High Street and Ian Brazier-Dubber confirmed that he had nothing other than that.

Councillor Stimson reassured all that as the Ward Member, she would liaise with Areli and the Property Company and would look at all the services in the Nicholson Centre and suggest temporary structures for the shops if necessary.