Maidenhead & Windsor

Councillors have rejected plans for new flats and a restaurant in Maidenhead town centre.

The plans, by applicant Chesterton Commercial Holdings, were refused at a meeting of Maidenhead's Development Control Panel on Wednesday, November 23.The scheme proposed demolishing existing buildings in the Maidenhead High Street and part of St Ives Road, and replacing them with six two-bedroom and two one-bedroom flats and a restaurant.

The development would have consisted of a two and three-storey building with a 505 square metre restaurant on the ground floor and front part of the first floor. The eight flats would have been on the rear part of the first and second floors. The front part of the building fronting the Maidenhead High Street was planned to be two-storey and traditionally detailed.

Attacking the proposed development, Maidenhead Cllr Leo Walters (Con, Bray) told the panel: "It would just be another ruddy great building stuck in there, which would not do any enhancing or preserving whatsoever and just ruin another piece of Maidenhead."

Maidenhead Cllr Dr Mike Bruton (Lib Dem, Belmont) voiced opposition to the plans and was particularly unimpressed with one of the proposed building's design, describing a planned door as resembling 'an entrance to a cinema'.

However, Maidenhead Cllr John Iles (Lib Dem, Hurley and Walthams) said the 'general concept' of the scheme was excellent, but questioned the design of windows in parts of the planned buildings, comparing them to 'a barrack'.

In the end the Maidenhead panel voted to refuse the application on the grounds that it was harmful to the conservation area and would constitute a loss of open space.

ic Berkshire ~ Maidenhead ~ Dec 9 2005