Consultation support for Maidenhead town centre plan

Maidenhead people who responded to the Royal Borough's plan for partnership action have thrown their weight behind its ideas for how the town centre can change and develop for the better.

The discussion document – Maidenhead Town Centre: Towards 2026 – brought together proposals from the council and from other local organisations such as the civic and heritage societies and the chamber of commerce, as well as those expressed through The Great Debate run by the Maidenhead Advertiser. It went out for public consultation earlier this year and the responses will be reported to cabinet on Thursday (March 22).

With overwhelming support for the ideas to give Maidenhead a long-term plan for improvement, cabinet is set to recommend the formation of a partnership forum to take the ideas forward, including detailed development briefs for the areas identified for potential future change.

Cllr Vicky Howes, lead member for strategic planning, thanked everyone who had taken part in the consultation:  "We have had some very thoughtful and constructive responses – the great majority in support. Many have put forward further ideas to contribute to the Vision for Maidenhead and we now have an exciting opportunity to work together to develop the discussion document into an action plan that reflects the broad consensus of opinion in our community."

Cllr Simon Werner, lead member for Maidenhead, said he was excited by partnership approach to this significant process:  "While we would have liked even more responses from individual residents, the quality and depth of comments from those who did take part was excellent, particularly from the chamber, civic society, waterwards group, heritage society, landowners and occupiers.

"Thanks to the open and willing approach from everyone involved, I believe we now have a firm basis for a robust plan for Maidenhead.  The consultation gave everyone food for thought and, by working together through the proposed partnership forum, we can make sure that the plan will not gather dust but will be a force for bringing about change for the better in our town centre.

The consultation questionnaire, distributed through the Maidenhead Advertiser and council offices and libraries and online at the borough's website, prompted more than 400 responses with the overwhelming majority (81%) agreeing that the town centre needs a plan to accommodate the forecast growth in shopping, office space and homes.

What people said:
· Almost 60% were in favour of more shops at the identified areas of West Street, Broadway and the east end of High Street – the workshop sessions held as part of the consultation came down particularly in favour of Broadway and Queen Street
· 77% supported a more mixed town centre, balancing office, retail and residential uses
· 87% backed stronger connections between the town centre and the River Thames
· Majority support for more public spaces for landscaping and gardens (73%) and space for markets and fairs (71%)
· 88% agreed the town centre should be accessible by all forms of transport, with central car parks and a park and ride.

Questions asked about providing better public transport and facilities for pedestrians and cyclists promoted various suggestions, including more routes and frequent bus services and further improvements to paved surfaces and crossings.

The Town Hall emerged as one of the town's most popular buildings, along with the clock tower, Cressett Towers, the Lloyds TSB building, Queen Anne House (Broadway) and St Mary's House (Halifax) – all mentioned as reference points for good design.  There were ideas about harmonising new buildings with the existing and diverse streetscapes, with good new buildings highlighted as the library, the 3 building and Grenfell Island.  Taller buildings in the town centre were overwhelmingly regarded as eyesores – not because of their height but because they were regarded as ugly.

Cabinet report
A detailed report on the consultation responses will be presented to Thursday's cabinet, with recommendations for progressing a number of the proposals, including the preparation of detailed development briefs for the identified areas.

The recommendations will also give force to the process by underlining that the council will be prepared to used its compulsory purchase order powers where necessary OR to overcome any potential barriers to progress.