The Local Planning Authority, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) state that they wish to ensure high quality development and an holistic approach to Ascot as a whole place (known as 'placemaking') which is why they are preparing a Supplementary Planning Document which can be used as a tool to reinforce the principles of the Neighbourhood Plan, the Borough Local Plan and other work that has gone before.

RBWM have identified the following 5 common themes across a variety of work from the past 10 years, representing the aspirations of the community for Ascot:

• Pride in Place - making Ascot distinct, a place to be proud of and feel part of;

• A Go To Place - creating a clear centre to meet and which is well connected;

• Retail & More - expanding the Ascot offer with cultural and community uses;

• Green & Leafy - sustaining the green character for people and nature;

• Healthy Ascot - ensuring an active, safe and sociable place.
  
  

For more background and detail please look here: https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/vision-for-ascot

RBWM  would like people who live, work and use the centre of Ascot to complete some surveys. RBWM would like to understand how you think these themes are relevant when thinking about different aspects of Ascot.

Please follow this link:  Ascot Placemaking Survey ,or use the QR code below, to look at and complete as many of the 5 surveys as you wish before 12th April.

Ascot Centre

The development planned for the area sited between Station Hill, The Clock House and south of the High Street is already the subject of a planning application that is currently being processed and is not subject to the SPD (Supplementary Planning Document) currently being developed.

We still have serious concerns regarding several fundamental aspects of this imminent and significant project, even though the revised plans reflect a number of improvements.

Planning application RBWM 22/01971 

will have significant implications for our community.

The main areas of concern continue to be:

• Lack of parking both within and outside the development - Only 124 spaces for 133 homes. There will be just SIX car parking spaces for use by the commercial units only. There will be none for shoppers and residents visiting the community building!

• Over development of housing - 133 homes crammed into 2.77ha (i.e. nearly 50 dwellings / ha), plus commercial offices.

• Loss of mature trees - 46 of 115 trees will be lost (i.e. 40%), where most are categorised as high or of moderate quality.

• Timing of Neighbour Consultation expiry date of 6th January 2023 which straddles the Christmas and New Year holidays. This timescale was unreasonable when there are 106 documents associated with this revised planning application.

The main areas of improvement that have been made to the planning application appear to be:

• improved proposals for a Community Building

• a better Market Square

• design improvements involving changes to some building facades and heights

NPDG and SPAE have been supportive all along about the rejuvenation of Ascot, but what is now being proposal falls short of the Prince’s Foundation Vision.

Address: Land Bounded By Ascot Fire Station Station Hill And West of Hermitage Parade And South of High Street Ascot Proposal: Redevelopment of existing site to provide 2,255.6sqm flexible commercial floorspace and 571sqm flexible community floorspace (mix of uses within Use Classes E, F1 and F2) and 133 dwellings with associated parking, access, open space, landscaping and other associated works. Provision of new public open space with associated hard and soft landscape works, new pedestrian and cycle paths and children's play area 

Further detail of the London Square’s plans can be found on RBWM Planing Portal. Search by application reference number: 22/01971/FULL

What has been proposed will have an adverse impact on Ascot and the wider area. It does not deliver the full community-approved ‘vision’ for the High Street which can be found in the Neighbourhood Plan (NP) and Prince’s Foundation Report which is appended to the NP.

Specifically the proposed development does not conform to our NP Policy SS1 & Project 9.1 or to the Princes Foundation Report on which this policy is based.

Sections 8.1 & 9.1 of the Neighbourhood Plan outline a vision vision for the centre of Ascot. The current planning application is for development of part of the town south of the High Street (called Ascot Green in the NP) and was dependent on the area being released from the Green Belt. The recently adopted Borough Local Plan has released this land from the Green Belt.

We will submit a formal consultation response. We urge you to write to the Council to express your opinion about these plans.