How Maidenhead will become a "thriving Thame-side community"

Senior councillors adopted a blueprint document, known as the Maidenhead Vision Charter, as a guide to what the town could look like as a place to live and work as it evolves over the next 15-20 years.

JTP Architects was commissioned by the council in 2019 to help the local authority set out initial community engagement and draw up the document.

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Some of the themes in their report includes:

• “Reconfigure” Maidenhead as a walkable town, with reduced cars and congestion. This includes “reimaging” ring roads by drawing up a strategy.
• Developing a strategy to “radically green” Maidenhead by enhancing biodiversity with green roofs and walls, as well as introducing a tree strategy to support ‘green links’.
• Improve digital connection, including of potentially developing a town app that advertises and provides information for events.
• Create an even diverse and burgeoning mix of community, cultural and arts events, festivals and activities in the town.
• Develop a strategy to explore potential enhanced sustainable transport links to the south of the railway, particularly on the existing towpath along York Stream, and the potential new route south, underneath the railway bridge.
• Develop and implement a ‘movement strategy’, which includes a parking strategy, improved public transport links and enhanced walking and cycling routes.

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As a result of Covid-19, the report states these themes will help “steer a course” for post-pandemic economic recovery for the town and its businesses.

A Maidenhead Town Team will be established, consisting of two councillors – including a member from the opposition – one executive director from the council, and five independent members.

Once this team is established with a chairman, who will be an independent member, they will set out to engage with every community group and society “to ensure everyone has a say” in the town’s future.

Cllr Andrew Johnson

Councillor Andrew Johnson (Con: Hurley & Walthams), leader of the council, said: “It marks the start of a truly transformative era for Maidenhead going forward at the town that is on the cusp of securing at least three billion pounds worth of investments.

“[It] has already achieved national significance as the town laying down the blueprint for the future of the High Street and retail shopping through the Nicholson’s Quarter developments and I do believe is also the town that is continuing to see very strong inward investments in terms of people looking to relocate here from a business perspective but from a residential perspective as well.”

The lead member for Maidenhead, Cllr David Coppinger (Con: Bray) said this vision will start out in Maidenhead, but other areas, such as Windsor, could develop their own vision charter “in due course”.

This was heard at a cabinet meeting on Thursday, May 27.