Planning, Parking, Highways & Transport

To explain the new Borough Local Plan requirement for the preparation of Stakeholder Masterplan Documents (SMD) and summarise the process and outcomes specifically in relation to the Stakeholder Masterplan Document for Land east of Woodlands Park Avenue.

Cabinet considered the report summarising the process and outcomes in relation to the Stakeholder Masterplan Document for Land east of Woodlands Park Avenue.

Councillor Haseler, Cabinet Member for Planning, Parking, Highways & Transport moved the recomendations explaining that the document related to Land east of Woodlands Park Avenue known as BLP allocated site AL24. BLP policy QP1 (‘sustainability and placemaking’) had introduced a requirement for the preparation of a stakeholder master plan for developments that would deliver 100 or more new dwellings or more than 5,000 sq metres of employment or mixed-use floor space.

He reported that the Policy explains that the stakeholder master planning process formalises good practice in relation to pre application discussions, by requiring developers of larger sites to engage with the council, local community and other stakeholders at an early stage in the development process on key issues, priorities and development options. The developer was responsible for preparing the stakeholder masterplan document. The site allocation proforma contained in the BLP outlines the uses to be accommodated on the site, alongside a number of site-specific design requirements and considerations. The proposed uses are approximately 300 residential units, strategic public open space and sports pitches. The site-specific design requirements and considerations address matters including access to the site (including by sustainable modes of transport), boundary treatments, the form of housing (including the need for family housing and affordable housing), and the importance of providing a strong green and blue infrastructure network across the site.

He continued that the requirements for site AL24, as set out in the BLP, were the starting point for determining the matters to discuss with the local community and other stakeholders through the stakeholder masterplanning process. The Berkeley Strategic Land Team set up a community liaison group, with representatives from the Parish Council, local interest groups, key stakeholders, Ward Councillors, Council Planning Policy Officers and Urban design advisor working for the Council. The group had met on three occasions between June and September 2022. A five week public consultation was held between September and November. A dedicated online website was created to share the proposals and receive feedback, along with an email address and hotline. A flyer was posted to just under 3,000 local addresses advertising the consultation. A further online meeting was held in November for Berkeley to share results of the consultation feedback. 83 feedback forms were submitted.

Councillor Haseler highlighted some of the main SMD principles and approaches:

•       a commitment to deliver a greater proportion of family housing

•       a commitment to providing new sports pitches and allotments

•       improvement of the junction of Woodlands Park Road and Woodlands Park Avenue to enhance safety

•       an extensive network of pedestrian and cycle routes providing attractive routes to key facilities and links to the countryside

•       open spaces and new wildlife habitats creating at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity

•       active and informal open spaces to encourage active lifestyles and enjoyment of nature

•       enhanced surface water attenuation to reduce off-site flood risk

•       sensitive approach to the boundaries with existing development, in particular with the Lillibrooke Manor, and Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice.

He added that through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), Berkeley Homes would make financial contributions towards upgrading and improving the local infrastructure as would other forthcoming developments. He reminded the meeting that the current Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) states that CIL contributions would be spent on the following three junctions in the vicinity of the AL24 site:

•       Shoppenhangers Road/Norreys Drive

•       A4/A404(M) Thicket Roundabout and Cannon Lane/Henley Road/Bath Road (A4) roundabout

•       M4 J8/9

In addition, CIL contributions may be used for enhancements to existing schools to enable the provision of additional school places; improvements to existing healthcare facilities; enhancements to existing libraries, social and community facilities and public realm improvements.

Councillor Haseler concluded that the masterplan prepared provided a description of the site and a summary of the planning policy context; summarised the feedback received during the engagement phase; set out a series of development objectives for the site; identified the principal opportunities and constraints associated with the site; and outlined the design principles that would guide the future development of the site. The site promoter, stakeholders, local residents and local planning authority had worked collaboratively on the Stakeholder Masterplan Document.

Councillor Coppinger, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Maidenhead seconded the motion and thanked everyone involved for their participation in the process. 

Councillor McWilliams commented on the developers engagement approach, advised that he had attended a few of the sessions and was pleased to see references to the CIL requirements in the infrastructure delivery plan. He reflected that it was good for residents to see that through the delivery plan there were clear requirements in place for mitigations on the infrastructure network and recognised it would help solve existing issues. 

In response to a question from Councillor McWilliams regarding the figure of 300 and the type of homes, Councillor Haseler advised that the exact number of dwellings would be developed as the planning application process progressed. He explained that there was still a lot of work to ensure developers delivered the type of homes the borough needed.

In response to a query from Councillor McWilliams about how Berkley responded to feedback regarding the quality of their consultation Councillor Haseler reported that they had listened, added another Webinar and drop-in session on 10 February 2023 to their consultation programme. He added that Cox Green Parish Council had provided additional feedback after the consultation had ended and were working with Berkley.

Councillor Johnson commented that he wanted to see more family homes rather than flats, pleased to see that the council was raising its standards around planning consultation. He acknowledged that the Council had not always got this right. He added that he was keen for local people should benefit from the development and would be pushing for a local lettings scheme. He concluded that he was happy to hear the 300 residential units figure was not a hard target.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

i)               the report be noted; and

ii)             the Land east of Woodlands Park Avenue Stakeholder Masterplan Document be approved as an important material consideration for Development Management purposes.