South West Maidenhead: Plans for nearly 200 homes to be decided

Developer Berkeley will have its plans to build nearly 200 homes on land south of Manor Lane and Harvest Hill Road – near Manor House – decided by councillors sitting on the Maidenhead Development Panel this Wednesday.

The parcel of land within the South West Maidenhead site is within the borough’s local plan, which sets aside the golf course and land south of Harvest Hill Road for up to 2,600 homes.

Because it is within the local plan, this takes it out of the Green Belt that would normally be protected from development.

What the site currently looks like (Image: Google Maps)

Berkeley is proposing to build up to 199 homes, compromising 22 one-beds, 35 two-beds, and eight three-bedroom apartments, and eight two-beds, 68 three-beds, 43 four-beds, and 15-bedroom homes.

Sixty of those dwellings are proposed to be affordable, which could be a mixture of affordable rent (21), social rent (27), and shared ownership (12).

The site also includes 353 car parking spaces, including eight visitor bays. Landscaping and planting more than 200 trees are also proposed.

The proposal comprises a series of clusters and terraces of housing varying from two to three-storeys in height. There is one block of four-storeys proposed for the westernmost point.

READ MORE: Tesco Express to open new store in Maidenhead

Each home and apartment are proposed to have private gardens. There will also be public open spaces and play areas across the site.

The scheme originally proposed 220 homes but after 18 letters of objection and one comment of support were received, the plans were revised.

Concerns were raised that the loss of green space will impact the character of the area, the increased traffic, and residents felt there were too many homes proposed for this plot of land.

One resident wrote: “Whilst we are not opposed to development we are opposed to this density and believe that no more than a maximum of 120 houses should be granted development permission. The density of the development far exceeds other developments by Berkely homes.”

READ MORE: ULEZ expansion plan in London prompt concerns from Slough Council

But officers say the site, along with the rest of South West Maidenhead, was assessed by an independent planning inspectorate where they looked into the density and housing mix and found it to be sound.

Planning officers have recommended that the scheme be approved. A decision will be made on Wednesday, February 15.

If approved, the plans will be subject to the developer completing certain conditions to begin development, such as signing off a financial contribution to improve local infrastructure, the delivery of affordable homes, and delivering a 21.4 per cent biodiversity net gain.