Not a Magnet for growing families
Maidenhead: Flats project ‘right’ but concern raised over lack of family homes at leisure centre site
Plans to build more than 400 flats on the Magnet Leisure Centre site have been described as the ‘right development for the site’ by the council leader.
Countryside has put forward plans to build 439 flats where the former leisure centre currently stands, but the plans have been criticised by opponents who have questioned how many more flats Maidenhead needs.
Martin McNamee, of Maidenhead Civic Society, warned that if too many flats are built, this will drive families out of the town once they outgrow small apartments, with a limited choice of town houses to choose from.
He said: “If you carry on building flats at the rate we
are, and not family homes – when someone in a flat decides to become a family, there won’t be enough family homes in Maidenhead, and they will leave.”
Concerns over the plans were echoed on the Advertiser Facebook page, with residents raising questions about the impact on schools and doctors’ surgeries and fears raised that the development would be a ‘concrete jungle’.
Proposals include 130 affordable homes, 350 car parking spaces and new landscaping to improve the pedestrian experience in the area, including enhancements to nearby subways and the footbridge over the A4.
Martin McNamee expressed concern over the development reaching 11 storeys, but he did praise certain aspects of the development.
“We do not like the fact it has gone up to 11 storeys, but we like how it has got 30 per cent affordable housing,” he said.
“We are pleased that there is a higher proportion of threebedded, five-person apartments; generally there has been too many one and twobed apartments.”
However the society chairman was not a fan of the building design, calling it ‘blocky’, and also criticised the number of parking spaces, calling them ‘inadequate’.
The council has maintained that Maidenhead Golf Course will be a key site to alleviate worries about a lack of houses, with hundreds of town houses set to be built here.
Councillor Andrew Johnson (Con, Hurley and Walthams), leader of the council, said of the Magnet plans: “We do feel it is the right development for the site.
“What developers tend to do is release developments in phases. It all relates to supply and demand. They will only build out if they think the market can sustain it.”
He added: “The key for me is just making sure the town retains its unique characters, but also leads the way in terms of its sustainability, credentials, [and being] forwardthinking.”
Countryside’s Daniel King said: “Despite the events of the past year, the housing shortage we face has not altered – if anything, there is increased demand for new homes. Homebuyers want green open spaces, community facilities and public amenities nearby and that’s what our development at Saint-Cloud Way will offer.”
The headteacher of Forest Bridge School said she was ‘jumping for joy’ following the official opening of the school’s new home in Braywick Road.
The specialist school for children with autism has moved into a new state-ofthe-art facility at the former home of Maidenhead Target Shooting Club.
Since the free school was opened in September 2015 it has been temporarily based at the former premises of Oldfield School in Chiltern Road, which had previously stood vacant.
Children aged four to 16 will now be able to enjoy a range of new facilities including a science laboratory, drama and music therapy room and a life skills space including cooking facilities.
Headteacher Elizabeth Farnden said: “We were literally bursting at the seams to try and provide an excellent education to our pupils at the old site by the time we got into the last couple of years.
“On Monday I was at the gate jumping for joy, I was like Tigger bouncing. It’s been such a journey and a lot of hard work from our staff and parent founders.”
Forest Bridge was set up by a group of mothers who met through the Berkshire Autistic Society.
Former Royal Borough leader Simon Dudley also
helped found the specialist school after being approached given his experience of opening free school Holyport College.
The new buildings, delivered by Kier Construction, have been funded by the Department for Education.
But the school has also benefited from fundraising campaigns by the Friends of
Forest Bridge as well as grants from the Prince Philip Trust Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation and the St James’ Place charitable foundation.
Ms Farnden added: “One of the key things is that all the classrooms have direct access to the outdoors and a covered outdoor learning area which is just invaluable for our young people.
“Young people with autism often struggle to do a skill in one place and also show that skill in another place so having those doors opening onto the playground and their own spaces for all our classes is really fantastic.”
The school welcomed all its 86 pupils and 105 staff to its new educational buildings on Monday.
It hopes to expand to support 96 pupils in September.