4.1 Maidenhead Town Centre Regeneration

Barbara Richardson, Managing Director - RBWM Property Company Ltd, gave the Forum a background of her role. She informed the Forum that she leads on major capital projects, borough-wide. The two current major projects that she is working on the town centre regeneration and planning for the golf club project. The areas that need to be covered are the housing supply, parking and leisure.

For the parking issue, 967 temporary car parking spaces need to be in place before the demolition of the Broadway car park. This includes 58 Blue Badge spaces. These would ideally be centrally located. The site that was being considered at present was the phase II Landings site, which was not in current use and would not be until 2020.

The Broadway car park would still be in use until temporary car parks had been built. The plan was that all temporary car parks would be built by the end of 2018 and in early 2019, the Broadway car park would be demolished.

The new car park would have 96 blue badge bays from floor 1 to 10, all with lift access.

The leisure aspects were still being considered.

Peter Haley asked about what temporary provisions would be made for ShopMobility. Barbara Richardson informed the Forum that she was still in negotiations but it was very likely that the Landings site would be used. There are due to be three temporary car parks, 300 spaces on Reform Road, 575 car parking spaces split between a multi-deck on St Clouds Way where the Magnet Centre is and The Landings, phase II area on the northeast corner with access straight on to the Broadway. All temporary car parks will follow current guidance.

The Chairman asked the difference between Housing Solutions Ltd and the Property Company Ltd. Barbara Richardson informed the Forum that Housing Solutions Ltd – is a registered provider of affordable housing.  An independent company from the council, which was set up some years ago, when the council transferred its housing stock under an LSVT process.  They are also a registered charity, they are not connected in any legal way to the council, since the council transferred its housing stock, although the council do have representation on their board. The RBWM Property Company Ltd – is a wholly owned subsidiary of the council. The council is the shareholder of this company, and therefore has complete control of its strategic and operation objectives. The company had been established to deliver major regeneration and redevelopment projects on behalf of the council, and enabling the delivery of housing in the borough including the affordable element of each project.  The company also had an objective to review and assess any council assets which are consider surplus to requirement, in order to see if there are opportunities to redeveloped these assets and improve or create a long term income stream from them.  Where projects were taken forward for residential development, the assets once redeveloped would be transferred into the property company, and would be let at a combination of both market rent and sub market rent, with a focus on keyworker housing, but not limited to this.  The property company will also assist the borough in any major capital projects, which are associated with the regeneration of the borough.

The Chairman asked about suitable housing for key workers with mobility issues. Barbara Richardson explained that anything built new or converted would adhere to part M of the planning regulations and above.

4.2 Joint Venture Redevelopment Sites for the Council

The Forum was attended by Malcolm Wood, Project Director, Countryside Properties, Richard Broome, Managing and Creative Director, Outerspace, Landscape Consultants, Alex Keene, Principal Consultant, AECOM (Transport Consultants) and John Webber, Principal Director, AECOM (Transport Consultant). A presentation was given by the team. Presentation Attached.

Malcolm Wood informed the Forum that they were currently working with four sites, York Road, West Street, St Clouds Way and Reform Road. The York Road site was the first site they were working with and this was planned to be the civic cultural quarter linking through the whole town with a pedestrian friendly environment. For St Ives Road, the vision is that on-street parking will be retained and two-way traffic at its far end to enable residents of the planned developments to get to their parking.. Low speeds would be encouraged. There would be crossings on the south-side to St Ives Road. The aim was to make less use for drivers and make more for pedestrians. The timetable for the York Road site was as follows:

September 2017 – Public Consultation process.

January 2018 – Further public consultation.

Spring 2018 – Planning application submitted.

Autumn 2018 – Building work to begin.

Barbara Richardson informed the Forum that she also sat on the Infrastructure Board and they were looking at the impact of highways around the town centre. Barbara Richardson reassured the Forum that there would be enough Blue Badge parking around the borough.

4.3 Blue Badge Bay Parking in the Town Centre

This was covered in 4.1.

4.4 St Marks/Courthouse Road Junction

Councillor Hollings worth informed the Forum that a capital bid had been submitted for the roundabout and the traffic lights but it was not of highest of priorities. Neil Walter added that a review had been conducted with Ward Councillors and currently plans were being drawn up, these would be divided into four sectors and would be out for consultation in January 2018. If the long term parked cars were removed, the junction would improve. Some parts of the consultation were covered under safety grounds and therefore could not be changed during the consultation phase. All of this process was going on whilst capital bid going ahead.

The Chairman asked to keep this item on the Agenda.

ACTION: Neil Walter to send out plans to Forum

4.5 Maidenhead Station

Neil Walter, Parking Principal gave a presentation to the Forum. Presentation Attached.

The Forum raised the following questions:

·         Why is there so much landscaped garden space?

·         Where is the drop off point for disabled users?

·         The taxi rank and the taxi pick up point would block the disabled spaces, might want to relook at the taxi rank position.

·         How would Buses be prevented from queueing at the bus stop and blocking the entrance to the station forecourt ?

·         Who would police the drop off/pick up point?

·         Who is the contractor parking for.

·         What is a toucan crossing?

Neil Walter explained that the initial ideas for the bridge were not feasible. Neil Walter would send all points raised to Gordon Oliver, who would respond with answers.

4.6 Local Access Forum

Lisa Hughes advised there were no updates from the Local Access Forum.