With agreement from the Chair, this item has been added as an urgent item to the agenda. It will be a verbal update from Ian Brazier-Dubber, Managing Director of RBWM Property Company.

Ian Brazier-Dubber, Managing Director of RBWM Property Company, started off explaining to the new Councillors that the RBWM Property Company was a wholly-owned company of the Borough which provided property services, asset management for all corporate assets and commercial assets of the Borough, and manage the development partnerships with companies like Cala Homes and Countryside Homes. The Company was also involved in regeneration projects which were mainly focused around Maidenhead.

On the Broadway car park, Ian Brazier-Dubber informed that the Broadway car park would remain close in the foreseeable. In the meantime, further inspections with a technical working team had been established to look at the project management of the car park process. The technical work, the costs around the car park and the appropriate outcome for Broadway would be brought forward in a Cabinet paper around the end of July 2023 to discuss the strategy and then establish a decision for the car park.

Ian Brazier-Dubber explained that the key recommendation at the moment was that Broadway car park was at the end of its economic life for a number of years and the balance of cost in terms of repair were outweighed by the lesser cost of demolition and the replacement of a surface car park or a temporary small level car park. Acknowledging some frustration regarding this, he explained that the site was difficult to deal with as it was surrounded by the Broadway, which had the ongoing Hub construction, to the south; King’s Street to the west; Brock Lane and Queen Street to the east; and the Nixon Centre in the north. Based on this, Ian Brazier-Dubber explained that the plan was to forward a report to Cabinet and then Full Council in July 2023 with the recommendation for demolition.

On shop mobility, Ian Brazier-Dubber explained that the Property Company the Asset Management Team were working on behalf of the Borough and other teams, such as the Parking Management Team and the Highways Team, to relocate shop availability. The identified location was to West Street to re-provide shop mobility. This was because it was the flattest and safest protected zone in which people with a range of disabilities would be able to access the High Street. A short study was taking place regarding any changes which were required for access on the highway and pavement on West Street. Ian Brazier-Dubber expected to have this approved in August to September 2023 and then subsequently implemented.

Regarding development changes in the Borough, there was Countryside joint venture development in which a range of sites owned by the Borough were being developed. These included landscaping works on Library Square and the former Magnet Leisure Centre sites which would include 351 residential units (20 of which would be affordable homes). The building of the affordable homes was expected to be completed by September 2024.

Ian Brazier-Dubber also reported that there were planning applications submitted or being submitted for the Barclays Scheme, Taylor Wimpy and Cala Homes.

Angela Clark, Chair of the Disability and Inclusion Forum, asked what the timeframe would be for when shop mobility would be functioning in West Street once it was approved in September 2023. Ian Brazier-Dubber answered that the objective was deliver on this by November 2023 at the latest, after the expenditure was approved and then a 12-to-16-week implementation process.

Regarding the Magnet Centre site, Councillor Hunt asked if there was another method to do the developments, such as digging footings, rather than the current piling method which would create a lot of noise and therefore affect nearby homes.

Ian Brazier-Dubber replied that as part of the planning application process, to enable to meet the Borough’s parking requirements, the developers decided to dig a basement to provide both parking storage waste management and building facilities. Due to the range and distribution of massing, heights and densities some of the units, he explained that piling was a very traditional way to build both substantial protection for a basement as well as enough bearing load to support the height of the buildings going above them. Ian Brazier-Dubber added that as part of the planning process, the developers would have had to submit a construction management plan which would have included noise management and time limits on piling. He also informed that it was expected that all the heavy piling work would be completed by Christmas 2023, in which building would subsequently take place.

Councillor Bermange asked for clarification regarding the Countryside partnership developments along York Road. Ian Brazier-Dubber explained that relationship with developers involved an overarching agreement regarding the use of Borough’s corporate assets; and when sites which were deemed to be vacant and/or the developer had a proposal for those sites, they would have to develop an initial design scheme. In the York Road area, the three sites encompassed the buildings immediately south of the Town Hall (including Library Square), the small site at the corner of York Road, adjacent to the former Desborough bowl site and the Grove Street car park.

Regarding West Street car park, Councillor Taylor asked if the expenditure would cover, for example, improving pavement accessibility and signage. Ian Brazier-Dubber replied that the expenditure would have to cover all costs to deliver shop mobility and changes to the car park, including widening, flattening and reprofiling some pavement and curb lines, electrical power for charging mobility scooters, and fresh water for washing and changing facilities.

(Ian Brazier-Dubber had left the meeting at 7:35pm)