Please help us to defend nature in our town
Maidenhead is fortunate to have 132 acres of woodland and greenspace in its town centre, that is owned by the people of Maidenhead and currently leased to Maidenhead Golf Club.
This is a much-needed green lung for our community and provides a habitat for dozens of threatened species, including bats, owls, hedgehogs, slow worms, kestrels and red kites.
But sadly this green space is under threat
The land is Green Belt and was bought by the council in 1953 to protect it from development. Yet, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead now plans to develop the space with more than 2,000 new houses and flats. This would involve felling hundreds of trees, destroying wildlife habitats and taking this valuable resource away from the community for good.
The consequences of this decision would be felt for decades to come, and further exacerbate the climate emergency that our children and grandchildren will inevitably have to confront.
David Attenborough says:
“The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.”
Our vision
We are campaigning to protect the 132 acres of Green Belt park land of Maidenhead Golf Course. We firmly believe that this publicly owned land should be protected from development. Around 40 per cent of the space is woodland and provides important habitat for a wide range of plants, animals, birds, insects and fungi, including dozens of protected species.
Protecting greenspace and biodiversity is a vital part of the steps we must take to prepare for and mitigate against the effects of climate change.
Our vision for the land is that it continues to provide a green lung, important wildlife habitats, carbon sequestering, water storage and amenity for the people of Maidenhead.
If the green space of the golf course is protected from development, future generations will have the opportunity to use this natural resource in the best way possible for the wellbeing of the people of Maidenhead. This could include tree planting, water storage, environmental education, community activities and as a Great Park for everyone.
What we will use the money for
Our Go Fund Me campaign has been set up to raise money for the legal and environmental expertise we need to ensure this vital green space is protected for our community and for future generations. This is likely to include:
- Legal fees for a possible Judicial Review and for placing legal protections on the land to prevent future development;
- Ecology surveys to help secured designations and protections for wildlife; and
- Campaign awareness such as leaflets, posters and social media.
Our campaign group’s status
We are in the process of setting up the Maidenhead Great Park campaign as a formal community group organisation, chaired by Tina Quadrino.
You can contribute towards our campaign here
https://www.gofundme.com/f/maidenhead-great-park
Other ways to support our campaign
- Sign our Air Pollution Petition asking our council to improve measuring of particulates https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=2163&RPID=8165838&HPID=8165838
- Come to our Maidenhead Golf Course Footpath protest event on Friday 22 April at 6.30pm. Further details to be published soon.
Would you be good enough to advise as to the basis upon which you would seek to secure a Judicial Review in relation to the proposed change of use of MGC Green Belt land to residential development. Such, if pursued, would involve the filing of a claim promptly ( within 3 months of the grounds for making a claim first arising ) to the Administrative Court of the High Court and thereafter, if the court grants leave, to then commence the application of Judicial Review in the High Court. Early legal advice is essential particularly bearing in mind the time constraint that will apply. All will prove very costly also bearing in mind the likelihood of all being contested by RBWM. The sum of £5,000 I have seen mentioned is modest indeed and unrealistic unfortunately.
Following the proposed Council EGM due as at 8th February 2022, and if the BLP is then adopted at that Council EGM, any proposed Judicial Review procedure would have to be invoked immediately ( 12 weeks ).
Thank you for your thoughts and advice. We are seeking legal advice as to whether or not we might have a case to take the plan to Judicial Review and we are aware of the tight deadline. The £5000 sum is just for the initial advice as to whether or not we have a case. Would you mind if we contact you by email to ask for more of your advice?
Living opposite the golf course on a large housing estate for the past 12 years I’ve seen first hand the exponential growth in traffic and car fumes. I have a huge passion for spending time outside and often have to get in my car to drive to a suitably non congested peaceful place to walk my dogs, clear my mind and breath fresh clean air for my mental health and my childrens. My children also frequently comment on the traffic fumes as we go about our lives on this busy housing estate. I’m deeply concerned about what exactly we are frequently breathing in! The current golf course is a irreplaceable piece of carbon neutralising land, any suggestions for building on or the destruction of this green lung is simply insanity by any logical standards. There’s simply no need to destroy it, let alone destroy it beyond any reversable measure. Let’s set a standard for other boroughs to follow and seek alternative creative endeavours to keep the green lung instead of doing the obvious easy thing, destroying it for short term gain. Look longer term, let’s support the future of our younger generations, the community and residents and protect our delicate infrastructure. RBWM The world is watching….. This is your opportunity to do the right thing.