Maidenhead United's hopes for new stadium at Braywick Park resurrected

Maidenhead United’s hopes of building a new stadium at Braywick Park could be resurrected following ongoing talks with Windsor and Maidenhead Council.

The Magpies have held long-term ambitions to relocate from their historic York Road ground to a new purpose-built facility at Braywick Park.

But the project hit a roadblock in July 2023 after the council’s new Liberal Democrat administration blocked the release of open space at the park to facilitate the move.

Discussions have since been ongoing between the club and the borough about its ambitions to move to a new ground.

Chairman Peter Griffin announced at a fans’ forum on Monday night that the council is now set to reconsider the potential relocation to Braywick Park.

What is planned?

Maidenhead United remain committed to delivering a stadium with capacity for just over 5,000 supporters, including 2,000 seats.

The club is looking to install a hybrid pitch, which features a combination of grass and artificial turf, as well as separate changing areas designed specifically for men’s and women’s football.

The stadium is planned for a new location at the back of Braywick Park.

Chief executive Jon Adams told the Advertiser: “There was a lot of concern about the original location at the front of the park, close to the road and the impact that would have on the openness of the park.

“So, we’ve now proposed a location that is at the back of Braywick. The best way to describe it is where there’s currently a big mound of earth. It’s from the mound all the way along adjacent to where the public amenities and public refuse site is.”

Additional facilities such as a futsal court and artificial pitch for community use are no longer planned but Braywick Park’s dilapidated athletics track is proposed to be refurbished as part of any deal for the club’s new ground.

Adams added: “We’re not looking to create a facility that is a seven-day-a-week astroturf that’s being used for lots of community sessions.

“What it’s going to be is a football stadium which enables us to play more competitive football at the ground.”

He added: “The big thing is that York Road maybe gets used once a week during winter, maybe twice a week.

“The benefit of a hybrid pitch is that we can play two, three, four or five games a week on the pitch as a minimum. It will provide access for our junior teams, who never get to play here.”

Maidenhead United say its current York Road ground can only be used once or sometimes twice a week during the winter months.

What changes have been made to a potential agreement between the club and the council?

When the Royal Borough’s cabinet refused to release open space for the potential ground move back in July 2023, one of the key concerns surrounded the valuation of the potential stadium site.

The football club reached an agreement with the council’s previous Conservative administration to buy a nine-acre site at Braywick Park for £460,000.

But councillors questioned the value of the deal and said this would equate to the council receiving £460 a year over a 999-year lease.

Chief executive Jon Adams said a new deal for the site could be a ‘multi-million pound’ agreement which would also include the refurbishment of the park’s athletics track used by members of the public and Maidenhead Athletic Club.

He said: “We’re now talking about a multi-million-pound deal. The local authority have negotiated hard on this and that’s completely in their right to do because they believed the site was worth more than we were paying.

“I would argue slightly the other way because I would argue the site was independently valued, but that was that, and we’re now in a new place.”

How will the site be accessed?

The proposals are for players, supporters and club staff to reach the new ground using a new access route via Vicus Way.

Small parking provision is planned at the site for club staff and players but the club is hoping the location could see the council’s Vicus Way car park become a key facility on matchdays.

How will this impact other sports clubs using Braywick Park?

Maidenhead United’s chief executive said it will be speaking to Maidenhead Athletic Club, Maidenhead Parkrun and Maidenhead Rugby Club as part of its ongoing discussions with the council.

Mr Adams added: “The local authority is in negotiation with the rugby club.

“It’s not for me to say but I think you will find that there will be the opportunity for the rugby club to benefit in a way that is important to the rugby club.”

Steve Bough, chairman at Maidenhead Rugby Club, said: “We had a meeting with Simon Werner (council leader) recently who updated us on all the proposals.

“We obviously haven’t got confirmation of what they’re proposing but from what Simon said about the scale and location of what they’re proposing, we wouldn’t object to that.

“As far as we’re concerned, it’s not on the scale or threat to the club as far as pitches are concerned as the previous one was."

He added: “In principle, at the moment with the information we have, we don’t see any major issues with it.

“But it will be interesting to see the detail.”

What are Maidenhead United’s plans for a new training ground?

Maidenhead United is continuing to explore the potential for a two-site solution which could see a new training ground with artificial pitches and futsal facilities built elsewhere in the borough.

These plans are yet to be advanced but the club’s chief executive said a second site would allow the club to deliver the training and community facilities it needs.

Mr Adams added: “There will be a second phase project, which isn’t defined in any way at the moment, to deliver a training facility for the benefit of the club in another location, with those additional community facilities that we need.

“The overall scope of the deal will enable us to deliver that. It’s our requirement and expectation, but we can’t deliver that unless we’ve got a solution for moving to a new ground.”

What happens now?

Maidenhead United is planning to hold a number of focus groups in the new year covering issues such as the design of the stadium and biodiversity at Braywick Park.

The club is also aiming to carry out a wider Braywick Park review to establish if there are any further improvements which can be introduced in the area.

On Tuesday, January 27, a meeting of the Royal Borough’s cabinet is set to take place where councillors will consider whether, in principle, they support the club’s fresh proposals for a new stadium.

Councillors will also consider whether to publish an open space notice which could pave the way for the disposal of the land needed for the stadium project to go ahead.

If the council publishes an open space notice, a consultation will then be held before the council decides whether to dispose of the site during a meeting on March 3.

Maidenhead United said if the council agrees to dispose of the land at Braywick Park, it will be looking to submit a full planning application swiftly.