Cabinet considered the report regarding the publication of the draft South West Maidenhead Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for public consultation.

Cabinet Member for Planning, Parking, Highways and Transport informed that the Borough Local Plan had been adopted earlier this year and identified the South West Maidenhead area for major housing and employment development. The preparation of the SPD would help to coordinate development across the area, providing more detail to supplement the policies and proposals in the Local Plan. It will be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.

Development in the South West Maidenhead area would help in delivering on key

Corporate Plan goals. In addition to goals relating to housing delivery and provision of affordable homes.  It was important that the SPD was adopted and that everyone had an opportunity to take part in the consultation, to this end the consultation would be over 6 weeks instead of the statutory 4 weeks.

Specific policies and policies for the area included Policy QP1b – South West Maidenhead strategic placemaking area and the following sites:

·       Site AL13 – Desborough, Harvest Hill Road, South West Maidenhead,

·       Site AL14 – “The Triangle site”

·       Site AL15 – Braywick Park

It was important to emphasise that this SPD was not intended to include a detailed

design for the development areas, or individual parcels of land within them, but

to set the framework within which individual planning applications can come

forward. He welcomed and encouraged people t take part in the consultation.

The Chairman welcomed the report and proposed its recommendations to Cabinet he welcomed the extended consultation period, the significant opportunity areas for affordable housing, infrastructure provision and excellent placemaking, this was seconded by Cllr Coppinger.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Action & Sustainability welcomed this important document going to consultation and that there would be zero carbon developments as well as green facilities for residents.

The Cabinet Member for Business, Corporate & Residents Services, Culture & Heritage, & Windsor said that she supported the paper as it was an exciting place setting opportunity for Maidenhead and she welcomed the consultation to hear peoples views.

Cllr Hill said that the SPD was in the Oldfield ward and many residents had tried to consult with the Council over the last 6 year as the were apposed to the proposals in the BLP.  Residents did not want development on the golf course, over 500 subscribers were contributing to a judicial review and were raising funds and there had been a petition of over 4,448 signatures against the proposals.  He also raised concerns about the legal responsibility on any development to have a 10% biodiversity uplift and gave density examples and how he felt the target could not be met.  He mentioned how the Oldfield are was being turned into concreate development, the lose of trees and areas for wildlife, how the ward had already been cut in half due to the level of development and how Braywick Park had lost land due to the school and proposed football club development.   There was also concerns about air quality and pollution which would be made worst by these proposals.

The Chairman informed that there had been no judicial review logged within the timeline and that he welcomed Cllr Hills views as part of the consultation.

Cllr Singh said he was concerned that the SPD would have no teeth and not considered by members at planning committees.  The Chairman replied that there were no planning applications due to be considered at this point and that the SPD if adopted would have material consideration at planning.

Mr Hill informed that he had been sent a Teams meeting link instead of the Zoom link required to attend the meeting which meant he had difficulty joining at the start.  With regards to the report he said that he felt the SPD was unsound, on healthcare it was proposed to move existing facilities to the golf course site rather then introducing more provision, he asked which communities would have their surgeries closed.  With regards to bus routes existing ones were being rerouted and discounted for the proposed site but questioned why all residents were not getting discounted travel.  With regards to infrastructure he mentioned that there was a £100m gap in funding and he also raised concerns about climate change and the impact the proposed developments would have including the loss of important greenfield sites.  There should be protection of sites for biodiversity and leisure.

The Chairman said that there had been a lot of comments that were made prior to the BLP being adopted, that there had been no legal challenge to the BLP and he was looking forward to hearing the consultation feedback.

Cllr Baldwin said that there had been references about the deadline for the BLP challenge being missed and asked if the Monitoring Officer could comment on this.  The Chairman mentioned that it had been raised by Cllr Hill and Mr Hill, the monitoring officer said she would provide an update in the Member Bulletin as the judicial review was not part of this SPD paper under consideration.

Cllr Price mentioned that the report said that infrastructure was being funded from other areas rather than the developers, was it expected that residents pay for infrastructure.  She was informed that was funded from a range of funding streams, some would be developers contributions as part of the planning process and it was normal that this would be toped up by local authority or national contributions depending on the site.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Parks & Countryside & Maidenhead said that the Borough Local Plan had been adopted and that the SPD before Cabinet was a key next step.  He looked forward to as many people across the borough giving their views as it was an important part of the process.  He was disappointed that a lot of the comments made tonight had been about issues prior to the BLP being adopted rather than moving froward and adding value.

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)            Approves the Draft South West Maidenhead Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document, as set out in Appendix B, for public consultation

ii)          Delegates authority for minor changes to the Draft Supplementary Planning Document to be made prior to consultation to the Head of Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Parking, Highways and Transport