To receive a presentation from the athletics club in response to the planned move to Braywick for Maidenhead United Football Club.

Derek Philip-Xu, Chairman of Maidenhead Athletics Club, gave a presentation on the development from the perspective of the athletics club. The athletics club had been in Maidenhead for over 120 years, with 60 of those being based at Braywick. There were currently around 400 active members, with the existing 400m track used a number of times a week for both junior and senior training. The track suffered from a lack of maintenance, was not floodlit and was often prone to flooding. The football club had outlined their proposal for the new stadium development along with a new running track and athletics facilities and since then the athletics club had met regularly to discuss progress with the development. The running and athletics facilities that were being proposed included a 300m 4 lane running track, 100m 6 lane sprint straight, long jump, high jump and shot put facilities.

Derek Philip-Xu explained why a 400m track was not part of the plans. Maidenhead was currently well served by existing competition standard 400m tracks in the surrounding area. Consequently, compact facilities, such as the proposed 300m track, were more sustainable and cost effective. These facilities would enable the athletics club to run more community based athletics and running projects which were currently difficult to do at present with the poorly maintained and unlit facilities. There were a number of elements that the athletics club were currently discussing with the football club, before the final application was submitted.

Councillor Baldwin commented on the availability of 400m running tracks within the radius of Maidenhead. He questioned therefore why Maidenhead Athletics Club felt that there was a need for a new 300m track.

Derek Philip-Xu said that the club were often asked why the plan was not to build a 400m track. This was deemed too expensive and the cost to maintain and run a 300m track was more realistic. If there was no track in Maidenhead, the athletics club could not guarantee its own future.

Councillor Baldwin felt that this claim could also be made by Maidenhead Rugby Club, they would be losing some of their pitches as part of the proposed development.

Derek Philip-Xu said that from his understanding, the track was not being built on a rugby pitch. If the proposal did not go ahead, the athletics club would still have the 400m track but this would be unmaintained and was in a poor condition.

Steve Bough said that he had been told the athletics track would be built on some of the rugby pitches.

Councillor Singh asked who was responsible for the maintenance of the athletics track at the moment.

He was informed that this was the responsibility of RBWM, as the council owned the track.

Councillor Singh asked if the athletics club would have preferred for a 400m track to be included in the development proposal.

Derek Philip-Xu explained that during initial discussions with the football club, the aim had been for a 400m track. After considering the idea in more detail, it was decided that there was no need for a 400m track and a 300m track would still fulfil the needs of the athletics club.

Councillor Singh noted that a number of residents used the athletics track for free and were unable to travel to other areas which had a 400m track, they would be left without an athletics track to use for a number of years while the proposed development of the site took place.

Derek Philip-Xu said it was still unclear how long the overlap would be between there being no track and a new one being installed. The athletics club wanted the new track to be as accessible as possible for members of the public, however, there were issues like vandalism and it was important that the new track was protected.