05:54PM, Wednesday 08 May 2019
Plans for a nine-storey office building in central Maidenhead that could provide 800 new jobs have been brought to the public for the last time.
A consultation on the St Cloud Gate development, which if approved will be built on the corner of Cookham Road and St Cloud Way, is being held in Unit 23 of the Nicholsons Centre today (Wednesday) from 3pm-7.30pm.
The plans for the 78,000sq ft ‘flexible’ office space include a roof garden, open reception area, a new on-site cafe, 61 basement parking spaces and 72 secure bicycle parking spaces.
It will also feature eight to 10 showers and car and bike parking spaces for visitors.
Newly-appointed Cllr Donna Stimson (Con, St Mary's), who was at the consultation, said: “I am growing fond of this.
“One of the things it's got is conversation areas. There are lonely people out there, they need somewhere to have a chat.
“In the last plans the recreation space was smaller, I thought they needed to make it bigger so there’s more opportunity to chat.
“I don’t have a huge issue with height (of the building) because it takes away less of the green parts.
“I have a problem with dormitory towns and we don’t want ghettos. We want light and bright and welcome.”
The office space can be used flexibly, with developer CLS Holdings open to small and large businesses setting up shop there. Businesses can take up one-third of a floor or several floors. There is also scope for internal staircases to be built after businesses have moved in.
Green and open spaces have also been prioritised, with a roof terrace on the top of the building and green balcony area on the second floor.
Rachel Broughton, head of development at CLS Holdings, said: “We don’t do development very often but when we do we try to make sure the new building is sustainable as possible.
“We have worked pretty hard to come up with an idea to make people want to come here."
The developer is hoping to submit the plans to the council in the summer, and subject to approval hopes to begin work in spring 2020 and complete the work in summer 2022.
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Pursuer
11:15, 09 May 2019
Agreed, there is ample unused office space in the town already. No doubt when there is sufficient take up an application will be made to turn it into more flats. And why do our worthy councillors not understand that the more high rise buildings the greater the level of air pollution at ground level.
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