Great Park campaigners planning Town Hall demonstration

Campaigners opposed to the development of Maidenhead Golf Course have announced their intention to hold a protest outside the town hall next month.

Supporters of a Maidenhead Great Park have been some of the most vocal opponents to the plans which could see more than 2,000 homes built on what is currently greenbelt land.

The golf course is the largest allocation of the Borough Local Plan (BLP), which Cllr David Coppinger (Con, Bray) has previously said could be approved before the end of 2021.

A petition proposing the park as an alternative to development gathered 4,448 signatures and was debated at council earlier this year.

With only one full council meeting scheduled before 2022, organisers are planning to hold the protest at 6.30pm on Tuesday, November 23, where the BLP could be debated between councillors.

Debbie Walker, one of the key petitioners for a Maidenhead Great Park, said the golf course is ‘really important to the residents of Maidenhead’.

“[The golf course] was bought by our council back in 1953 specifically to protect the land so that it remained as open space; the council back then realised it was at risk from development, and so they decided to buy it to protect it,” said Ms Walker.

“Fast forward to almost 70 years later, our council, even though there’s a climate emergency, think that this is the time to sell it off to develop it.

“The golf course is open parkland, almost half of it is woodland, it’s got lots of wildlife habitat and thousands of trees, so it’s really important at this time that we protect green space and wildlife habitats.

“We’re demonstrating to send a message to the council that we want them to not adopt the Borough Local Plan, which, if adopted, will give themselves permission to build on the golf course.

“They’ve been looking at this plan since 2013; it’s out-of-date, doesn’t look to the future and simply focus on profit."

A letter sent by the BLP’s Inspector, Louise Phillips, confirmed that the Royal Borough the ONS’ 2018-based projections for household growth ‘forecast a noticeably lower level of household growth’ than the 2012-based projections.

At the time, RBWM responded by saying the ‘2018-based housing projections do not represent a meaningful change in the housing situation’.

Ms Walker added that this fact, as well as ‘accelerated changes’ to remote working practices and shopping habits leaving empty officers and shops, meant the group thought the council should ‘rethink’ the BLP.

She also said that she did not believe the council’s promise of a ‘green public open space’ in the redeveloped golf course was ‘a fair compromise’, adding that it would be ‘very unclear how much green open space there would be’.

“I firmly believe that if the people stand together, we can get change, and we can show our council that they’re not thinking the future and show them that the people of Maidenhead and the Royal Borough are looking for protection of their environment,” said Debbie.

“If as many people as possible come out to demonstrate that night to show public support for a rethink of the Borough Local Plan, I think that could be really powerful.”

A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead said: “The redevelopment of Maidenhead Golf Course is a crucial part of the next phase of Maidenhead’s regeneration.

“The club site offers a highly sustainable location, which, once complete, will deliver more than 2,000 desperately needed homes, with 30% of the properties being affordable, in addition to a new primary and secondary school, and a community hub.

“It will open-up significant parts of green space for public access, improve walking and cycling connectivity for residents. It will accommodate future population growth while preventing speculative green belt development across the borough through the adoption of a valid local plan.

“This site will also be able to take advantage of excellent sustainable transport links including short walking distance to Crossrail services at Maidenhead railway station from next year.

“The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead recognises the challenges posed by climate change, and we remain committed to our Environment and Climate Strategy which was adopted last December”.