CPRE backs legal challenge to Windsor & Maidenhead Council

CPRE Berkshire is supporting a legal challenge to the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM) Borough Local Plan, by providing £3,000 towards the legal costs of the local residents’ action group.

On 22 March 2022, following a successful public fundraising campaign for the initial legal fees needed, the Maidenhead Great Park Community Interest Company promoted and funded filing for a statutory challenge of RBWM’s Borough Local Plan.

RBWM’s Borough Local Plan includes plans to build 2,000 new homes on the 132 acres of publicly owned woodlands and green space leased by Maidenhead Golf Club.

On Wednesday 16 November, at a renewal hearing in the High Court, Judge Sir Ross Cranston refused an extension of time on local residents’ legal challenge of the plan.

Greg Wilkinson, Chairman of CPRE Berkshire, says: “This is a disappointing result, especially in view of the strong local opposition to the Council’s ill-considered plan to concrete over Maidenhead Golf Course. Despite this setback, CPRE Berkshire urges the Council to reconsider its plan to concrete over this precious green space. Sacrificing such a large area of open parkland to create yet more urban sprawl is completely unsustainable and unjustified. It is harmful both to people and nature, and to the goal of net zero.”

Tina Quadrino, Chair of the Maidenhead Great Park campaign group, explains: “We are delighted to have the support of CPRE the Countryside Charity to help us continue to challenge our council’s Borough Local Plan for our community.  The charity’s work to campaign for the protection of accessible local green spaces is helping people living in towns and cities across England to access nature.

“The destruction of hundreds of acres of green belt and thousands of mature trees, as set out in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead’s Borough Local Plan, to make way for housing targets that are based on out-of-date projections for housing need, is simply unacceptable and will damage our environment and our community for many decades to come.

“We are incredibly disappointed with the outcome of Wednesday’s court hearing, but we will not give up challenging our council’s environmentally damaging Borough Local Plan, which will have profoundly negative consequences for the health of our community for many decades to come.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported this ongoing legal challenge and campaign. As well as CPRE Berkshire, over 550 people have so far donated towards our work to protect greenspace and woodlands in our community, and we look forward to the continued support of local residents as we move forward with our campaign.”

Of the 132 acres (55 hectares) of publicly owned parkland leased by Maidenhead Golf Club, 22 hectares are woodland, including two acres of Ancient Woodland.  The area is home to a rich array of plants, fungi and wildlife, including: roe deer; woodpeckers; jays; woodland birds; butterflies; moths; bees; bumblebees; stag beetles; grass snakes; owls; kestrels; red kites; hedgehogs; slow worms; sparrowhawks; and at least eight species of bats.

Tina Quadrino continues: “We continue to campaign for the protection of accessible countryside in our community, for the benefit of people and wildlife.  We must make the most of this publicly owned land to mitigate the effects of climate change on our community, including supporting biodiversity, water storage, pollution absorption, carbon sequestration, and as a place for people to connect with nature for their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

“We are planning a fourth demonstration outside Maidenhead Town Hall on Tuesday 22 November, from 6.00pm to 7.00pm, when our petition asking for improved air pollution monitoring will be heard.  At the demonstration, we will again be urging our council to take steps to protect our publicly owned woodlands and greenspace from development, and to take Maidenhead Golf Course out of the Borough Local Plan.”

To donate to the Maidenhead Great Park campaign, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/maidenhead-great-park

To find out more about the CPRE Berkshire go to www.cpreberkshire.org.uk

To find out more about the Maidenhead Great Park campaign, go to www.maidenheadgreatpark.co.uk

Ends

For more press information contact:

Debbie Ludford Tel 077486 40577 walker.debbie@sky.com

Tina Quadrino tinaquadrino@live.co.uk on 07502 303484