Maidenhead estate residents fear flooding from 330-homes site

Households living on the Aldebury estate in north Maidenhead have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) they fear flooding would be exacerbated if the approximate 19 hectare greenfield site called Spencer’s Farm, which is north of Lutman Lane, is developed.

The site, known as AL 25, is allocated within the now adopted borough local plan (BLP), which earmarks multiple sites across the Royal Borough for thousands of new homes.

The BLP was found “sound” and capable of adoption by an independent planning inspector after years of rigorous examinations and public consultations.

Within AL 25, developer IM Land plans to build up to 330 homes, 40 per cent affordable housing, and a new primary school. AL 28 within the BLP also earmarks part of the site for public open space and a playground.

The Conservatives voted to adopt the BLP, meaning Spencer’s Farm has been taken out of the green belt where it had certain protections from development. However, Spencer’s Farm is still subject to planning permission when an application comes forward for determination by the planning panel.

The LDRS toured Spencer’s Farm with a few Aldebury estate residents who vehemently oppose the development and want the green belt to remain untouched or be turned into a nature reserve as deer, foxes, badgers, amongst other wildlife can usually be seen at the former farm.

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Aldebury Road homeowner Jean Sutherland said 25 per cent of her garden floods when rainfall comes down, but fears this will increase if the new homes are built.

“All I can say is this is the next cladding waiting to happen. The next crisis waiting to happen,” she said. “The new houses will probably be fine, but everybody else’s won’t be.”

She added: “We’re looking at moving now. We’ve already started to look, and we haven’t been here a year.”

Ian Lester has been living in his home with his wife Caroline for two-and-years and often takes their dog for a walk on Spencer’s Farm. He fears the proposed primary school and the housing developments in nearby Cookham and Bourne End will cause a traffic nightmare for the estate.

The Aldebury estaste is just south of the proposed development

Mr Lester feared Cookham would become “gridlocked,” adding: “Cookham bridge is a nightmare at the best of times anyway. Especially during rush hour.”

He said: “There’s no more need for another school here. I mean we already have three or four within walking distance [and] If you passed this school [St Mary’s Catholic School] at school drop-off time, you can’t get through this road.”

Speaking to the LDRS, Cllr Stuart Carroll (Con: Boyn Hill), lead member for children’s services, said in the future, there will be a “likelihood” of demand in school places as the borough’s population and the economy grows.

He said: “In the advent of more development and with the BLP approved and the increase numbers of people, we will, of course, have to look at the future school places which we keep under regular review.”

Cllr Carroll also said building more schools ensures every parent, carer, and child can go to their priority school that can enable and maximise a child’s chances of succeeding.

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Aldebury estate resident Ceri Glen vocalised his distaste for the borough local plan when it went to an extraordinary full council meeting earlier this month for adoption. “This is a farce,” he shouted in the public gallery as councillors were debating the local plan.

He said he and the residents are looking into ways of blocking the borough local plan and getting planning permission withheld by looking into the strongest objections, such as the flooding fears.

Mr Glen said: “Flooding around here is hideous. If you want to avoid the risk of flooding, you don’t build on it and fill it with concrete despite any mitigation plans you put in, they are never as good as having not built on it in the first place.”

Proposed layout of the plans (Image: IM Planning)

Campaigners from the Maidenhead Great Park have started a fundraiser for £12,000 in order to seek legal advice to overturn the local plan as well as safeguard the Maidenhead golf course from being developed into over 2,000 homes. It has so reached over £8,400.

A council spokesperson previously said: “Having a new sound and adopted Local Plan puts the borough in a strong position to meet, in a sustainable way, all our local housing and employment needs, to capture investment and regeneration opportunities, guard against unsupported speculative development and protect our valued natural and built historic heritage.

“While a tiny fraction of green belt development is needed in sustainable locations, the BLP still protects 82 per cent of the borough as green belt and just one per cent has been released for new homes and employment.”

Campaigners have been fighting to halt development on Spencer’s Farm for a number of years when proposals were unveiled back in 2009 and 2012 for new housing. Both plans were abandoned.

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Spencer's Farm

Mrs Sutherland said: “Out of the thousands of houses, can they [the council] just not back down on 330 homes?

“Can we stop trying to make it a thing, for goodness’ sake. It’s just a nightmare whatever they try to do with it. Can we just not turn it into a nature reserve? That would be nice.”

Sarah Milward, planning director, IM Land said: "Since 2017 we have been engaging and consulting with local representatives, residents and the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead on a proposed scheme for Spencer’s Farm, addressing all of the questions raised. This five-year process has culminated in the council and the local planning inspectorate agreeing that Spencer’s Farm should be included as a site for development in the newly adopted Local Plan.

“We will continue to engage and listen to local people’s views, alongside the valuable feedback we have already received over the years. This feedback will further help to shape our future planning application and strengthen our commitment to creating a sustainable development which will contribute to the provision of much needed homes in the area.”