The Site

The site is located circa 2.2km to the north of Maidenhead within the residential area of Furze Platt. The site is situated on the northern side of the B4447 Cookham Road and is bounded by residential dwellings to the west and south with open land located to the north and east.

The which is allocated within the Borough Local Plan (AL25 and AL28) is approximately 19 hectares and comprises mostly arable agricultural land with small pockets of grassland and an area of woodland located in the north-west site area.

The site was largely undeveloped farmland until the late 1960s when gravel extraction commenced in the centre and south of the site. In the 1970s, the western area was used as a refuse tip, and by 1977 gravel extraction was also underway in the north west of the site. Gravel extraction ceased in the late 1980s.

Opportunities and constraints

A summary of the key constraints and opportunities which have informed the masterplan are set out here:

  • No built development within the floodplain
  • The eastern part of the site presents the opportunity to provide accessible public open space with an enhanced wildlife corridor
  • Vehicular access can be taken from the B4447 (Cookham Road/ Gardner Road) in the southwestern corner of the site with a potential for emergency pedestrian/ cycle access from Westmead
  • There is an opportunity to link into the Green Way and wider public right of way network which pass the site along the eastern boundary across the Maidenhead Ditch
  • There is an opportunity to create a sustainable development which enhances pedestrian links within the urban area including to Furze Platt station
  • A single, prominent oak is located centrally on the eastern edge along with a woodland to the north, both of which will be retained and incorporated as part of development proposals
  • There is also the opportunity to plant a new specimen oak tree to ensure the succession of the existing tree over the long term
  • The retention of trees along southern and western site boundaries benefits the setting of the development and the relationship with neighbouring dwellings and the railway line
  • The proposals will consider the relationship between properties that adjoin the southern boundary of the site and seek to ensure that the amenity and privacy of these properties is respected
  • The re-profiling of the site presents the opportunity to both provide gradients suitable for development but to also ensure that drainage systems can convey water and reduce flood risk
  • Significant opportunity to deliver ecological enhancements through the provision of a range of new habitats of higher quality which will contribute towards the biodiversity net gain requirement
  • A church spire is visible from the centre of the site that could inform street alignment in order to create a purposefully designed vista