Golf Course designated Asset of Community Value
Following an application made by the Maidenhead Great Park campaign group, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM) has designated Maidenhead golf course an Asset of Community Value (ACV).
As a result of this designation, RBMW cannot sell the land, or any part of it, without first giving the community the option to bid for it.
A building or other land is an Asset of Community Value if its main use has recently been or is presently used to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future. The Localism Act states that ‘social interests’ include cultural, recreational and sporting interests.
The Maidenhead Great Park group formed in 2020 to campaign against RBWM’s plans to develop the 132 acres of council-owned woodlands and green open space at Maidenhead golf course.
Around 40 per cent of the publicly-owned land at Maidenhead golf course is woodland, including five acres of ancient woodland at Rushington Copse. The woodlands and green space at Maidenhead golf course provide important habitats for wildlife, including protected species like owls, bats and kestrels. As well as destroying wildlife habitats, the development of Maidenhead golf course will significantly increase traffic, air pollution, drought and flood risk in Maidenhead.
Tina Quadrino, chair of the Maidenhead Great Park campaign group, explains:
“We’re absolutely delighted to have secured this important designation for this area of public open space owned by our council. For the first time since we started our campaign to save this biodiversity rich site from development, local people are now in the driver’s seat and have the option to bid for the land and save it from being concreted over with 1,500 new homes.
“The council hasn’t yet sold the land to its development partner Cala Homes, but the outline planning application is due to be heard on 14 January 2025. Under RBWM’s agreement with Cala Homes, the first land sale receipts won’t be due until 2030 at the earliest.
“In the meantime, RBWM paid Maidenhead Golf Club close to £16 million to leave their lease at the end of 2025 and the Club has now reached an agreement to merge with Flackwell Heath Golf Club. This means RWBM taxpayer’s money will be subsidising a sporting facility in Buckinghamshire, while here in Maidenhead we’re set to lose a sporting facility, thousands of trees and vital wildlife habitats.
“If the development goes ahead, our flood risk, traffic and air pollution will increase and the opportunity will be lost for our community can make the most of this publicly owned land for carbon capture, pollution absorption, water storage, mental and physical health and wellbeing and nature recovery.
“It is simply not sustainable to build on woodlands and greenspace. 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.
“We’re planning to hold a community consultation event at 10am until 4pm on 22 February 2025 at Larchfield Community Centre. We invite local people to come along and tell us what the best of use of the golf course land will be for our community, and afterwards we will seek professional advice on the cost and practicality of those ideas.
“We’re also planning to hold a demonstration outside Maidenhead Town Hall at 6pm on Tuesday 14 January 2025 when the outline planning application for the golf course is currently set to be heard.”
It’s not too late to object
Please do support our campaign by objecting to development plans that will lead to the cutting down of thousands of trees, devastating our local wildlife.
How to object
You can simply email planning@rbwm.gov.uk giving your reasons why you object to this planning application. Include the ref no 24/00091/OUT and give your full name and address.
