CONTROVERSIAL plans to build up 330 homes and a school at a former farm have been submitted.
Developer IM Planning has put forward outline plans to build hundreds of new houses, and a primary school, and create new open space land at Spencer’s Farm in Summerleaze Road, Maidenhead.
The council is only considering access at this stage where, if approved, another planning application that considers the scale of the housing will be submitted.
IM Planning is proposing to build apartment blocks compromising one and two beds as well as new homes that are proposed to be a mix of two, three, and four-bedrooms. Forty per cent of the homes will be affordable housing.
The flat blocks could be three-storeys in height whereas the houses reach up to 2.5-storeys.
As part of the scheme, the developer is also proposing 4.65 hectares of open space land with a play area and sports pitch.
The site is allocated within the adopted borough local plan (AL25), which means it has been taken out of the greenbelt where policies that would normally protect it from development no longer apply.
READ MORE: Maidenhead estate residents fear flooding from 330-homes site
This is the third attempt a development bid has been put forward on the site. Both the 2009 and 2012 housing plans were abandoned.
In February, the Local Democracy Reporting Service toured Spencer’s Farm with residents living at the adjacent Aldebury estate, who fear the flooding issues at the site are “the next crisis waiting to happen”.
Resident Ceri 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.”
READ MORE: Former Maidenhead church could be knocked down for flats
Sarah Milward, planning director of IM Land previously said they have engaged with residents, local councillors, and the council on the scheme since 2017 to help shape the planning application.
IM Planning also conducted a flood risk assessment and drainage strategy and found the site is at a ‘low risk’ from ‘fluvial, ground water, and sewers flooding’.
The planning statement states: “Management of extreme event flood risk can be achieved through ensuring the finished floor levels of the proposed building are set at a minimum of 150mm above adjacent roads and open space levels in areas where designated overland flood routes are identified.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here