As a naive new Cllr back in 2019 I thought we’d be able to influence the planning decisions made on AL21. Talking to the developer, they imply they are listening but really they have a bigger plan and the more vague they are in the early days, the easier it will be for them as they start fleshing out the plans. The original plans showed the community hub as a stand alone unit next to a pond, not flats above…
And unless someone is “ON IT”, looking after the interests of the local population then all could be lost… this is why we need to support Windsor Ascot Maidenhead Community Land Trust in their endeavours to secure the best deal for Windsor residents. The community land should be signed over to them for them to manage in trust for future generations of Windsorians.
Developers only really care about profit as they have shareholders holding them to account.
Wates got involved with this project years ago, getting the few property owners on the AL21 land to sign agreements giving them first dibs on buying their property should the area be removed from greenbelt via the Borough Local Plan to help elevate the Government pressure to build, build, build.
Wates took it all the way to outline planning permission, the point at which it has been agreed that houses can be built but the proverbial spade hasn’t removed any turf. The detail specification of the buildings coming later and requiring many more architectural drawings and incurring much more cost.
The expensive part of developing 300+ homes is building them. It costs millions. Getting it to outline planning permission costs much less, say a million or two for admin plus purchasing the land from existing owners.
Once you have permission to build 320 homes averaging £750k each, flats and bigger houses, that’s a potential turnover of £240 million. And if the old adage of 1/3rd for land, 1/3rd for materials, 1/3rd for the developer is true, that means the original investment becomes much more, my guess is it trebles to £80m as the original developer, Wates, sells on the land to a developer keen to build. No wonder they are worth billions!
Let’s backtrack and look at what the Borough Local Plan dictated
The only mention in the BLP is for a “Multi-functional community hub”
It doesn’t say that the hub is a stand alone building, but that’s how the conversation went with Wates, the image below illustrate that quite clearly in June 2021
October 21 and cabinet agreed the following…
Summary below, full details here
A commitment to providing a multi-functional area of strategic public open space at the heart of the development, with seating, orchard, and areas for formal and informal play.
2.24 An amended paragraph 95, so that it reads: “It is anticipated that the Community hub building will comprise of two main rooms and include provision of:” This is to clarify that there will be separate rooms in the community hub building, one for a community café, and the other for small meetings, exercise classes etc
Comment from Windsor Ascot Maidenhead Community Land Trust – Wates Developments’ positive approach to early community consultation have resulted in an outline masterplan scheme that has been given a lot of thought and is well planned around many aspects that the community value. The open space, sustainable greenery in wildlife corridors, opportunities for food growing and leisure, cycling and walking, as well as Community space are all welcome features.
Appendix: Officers are supportive of the provision of a café as part of the community hub, in part given the closure of the cafes at the two local garden centres. At the detailed planning application stage, Officers will address the funding, delivery, and maintenance of the community hub building (as part of the S.106 legal agreement).
The above clearly indicates this is for the community and not for the developer to add flats into the mix but for some reason this intent has been missed on the decision making below. Rather than going to the community specialists, as they would a conservation officer or a environmental officer, it has simply been signed off as OK, when it is far from that in a practical sense. I’d like to suggest RBWM Planning team have community experts, or consult with them prior to making decisions.
Planning Officer Report – link not working but did yesterday, so probably will tomorrow
4 The submitted Drawing No. 7359 – PL – 21D – ‘Community Land’ is approved and satisfies the requirements of Clause 1.1 of Schedule 10 ‘Community Building Provisions’ in the Section 106 Agreement relating to outline planning permission
You add flats on top of what should be a village hall and you create a whole bundle of legal problems and this is probably why the new developer Vistry, is seemingly looking to avoid using a local community group, when that is what is actually specified in the S106 document below.
Vistry have no buy-in to the local community, they didn’t conduct the original consultations, Wates did, and the website that detailed all this has been taken down? Surely that is part of the asset base and should have been transferred with the land? Another element that needs revision for any future developer negotiations within RBWM in my humble.
The link below takes you to the full planning application for outline permission of which the TENTH SCHEDULE is the part of the S106 legal obligations that agrees the terms on what the developer will give back to RBWM if granted planning permission. Item 4 indicates “the owner shall use all reasonable endeavours to establish or appoint a Community Group”… the feeling is they are looking to establish their own, which really isn’t in keeping with how this should roll out.
RBWM should be insisting that Vistry appoint Windsor Ascot Maidenhead Community Land Trust.
22/01354/OUT | Outline application for access only to be considered at this stage with all other matters to be reserved for the construction of up to x320 new homes, land for a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, a multi-functional community building alongside an area of strategic open space including play spaces and orchard planting together with associated landscaping, car parking, footpath/cycle connections and vehicular access on to Dedworth Road, following demolition of existing structures. | Land Bounded By Willow Path And The Limes And Windsor Road And Dedworth Road And Oakley Green Road Oakley Green Windsor
TENTH SCHEDULE – links to the full S106 Obligations
Community Building Provisions The Owners covenant with the Council as follows:
1 Prior to Commencement of Development the Owners will submit to the Council details of the proposed extent and boundaries of the Community Building Land under the relevant Reserved Matters Application for the Council’s written approval.
2 Within three (3) months of Commencement of Development the Owners shall submit to the Council for written approval the Community Building Management Plan.
3 The Community Building Management Plan shall set out the long-term responsibilities and maintenance schedules for the Community Building together with any other relevant aspect that the Council reasonably considers is necessary to ensure proper management and maintenance of the Community Building.
4 The Owners shall use all reasonable endeavours to establish or appoint a Community Group to take the Community Building and perform the obligations contained in the Community Building Management Plan for a period of twelve (12) months beginning from receipt of the Council’s written approval of the Community Building Management Plan.
5 Where the Owners have been able to establish or appoint a Community Group to perform the obligations contained in the Community Building Management Plan, to use all reasonable endeavours to transfer the freehold title of the Community Building Land to the ownership of the Community Group on or before completion of the 250th Dwelling for consideration of the sum of £1 (one pound).
6 Where the Owners have not been able to transfer the freehold title to the Community Group in accordance with paragraph 5 of this Schedule they shall continue to endeavour to transfer the freehold title to the Community Group prior to Practical Completion of the final Dwelling.
7 Where the Owners have been unable to establish or appoint a Community Group in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Schedule, or to transfer the freehold title of the Community Building Land to the Community Group on or before Practical Completion of the final Dwelling or in the event that the Community Group does not use the Community Building for its intended purpose within five (5) years from the date the Community Building Land is transferred in accordance with paragraphs 5 or 6 of this Schedule, and the Owners have provided evidence of this to the Council, the Owners shall seek confirmation from the Council that it will take the Community Building and perform the obligations contained in the Community Building Management Plan SAVE THAT the Council may transfer those obligations to a Community Group at any future time should they deem it right and proper to do so.
8 Where the Owners have been able to establish or appoint a Community Group to take the Community Building and perform the obligations contained in the Community Building Management Plan within the period pursuant to paragraph 4 of this Schedule, prior to Occupation of the 1st Dwelling the Owners shall confirm to the Council in writing the name of the Community Group.
9 The Owners shall update the Community Building Management Plan no less than every five (5) years and submit an updated Community Building Management Plan to the Council for its written approval and to make any changes to the Community Building Management Plan that the Council may reasonably require.
10 Where the Community Group is under the control of the Owners, not to voluntarily wind up the Community Group or alter its constitution without the prior written consent of the Council unless the whole of the Development shall have been demolished or unless the Council have otherwise first agreed in writing.
11 The provisions in paragraph 9 shall not apply in the event that: 11.1 a court or other competent body orders the compulsory liquidation of the Community Group; or 11.2 liquidation of the Community Group or any alteration to its constitution is required to comply with an order of a court or other competent body or to comply with any relevant statutory requirements SUBJECT TO the Owners being responsible for complying with the obligations in this Deed in relation to the Community Building in such circumstances.
12 The Community Building shall be transferred: 12.1 with the physical capability for vehicles and pedestrians to reach the public highway from the Community Building safely from construction access to allow secure passage of vehicles and pedestrians to Community Building on opening; and 12.2 with all necessary services and infrastructure to permit the Community Building to be used for community use.
13 To Practically Complete the Community Building and make the same ready for use on or before completion of the 250th Dwelling.
14 On Practical Completion the Owners shall transfer the Community Building as follows: 14.1 Where a Community Group which has been established to take the Community Building in accordance with Paragraph 4 the Owners will transfer the unencumbered freehold of the Community Building to that Community Group in consideration of the sum of £1.00 (one pound) but otherwise at no cost (including legal costs) to and subject to no other contribution by the Community Group such transfer to be with full title guarantee, vacant possession on completion and free and unrestricted rights of access for the general public at all reasonable times; or 14.2 Where the Council have agreed to take the Community Building in accordance with paragraph 7 the Owners will transfer the unencumbered freehold of the Community Building to the Council in consideration of the sum of £1 (one pound) but otherwise at no cost (including legal costs) to and subject to no other contribution by the Council such transfer to be with full title guarantee, vacant possession on completion and free and unrestricted rights of access for the general public at all reasonable times.
To show your support, or to find out more about this, get along to the information session at Kerith Community Hub on Sat 28th March 2026 9-12am.
Thank you.
Jon Davey
Community Champion
