Has Maidenhead’s capacity to accommodate the scale of growth now proposed in the Borough Local Plan been tested in respect of its potential effects on infrastructure and traffic?
Borough Local Plan (BLP) statements re Infrastructure
The Borough Local Plan Infrastructure section says:
‘14.1.1 The timely provision of suitable and appropriate infrastructure is crucial to the well-being of the Borough’s resident population, those who visit, provide services and invest and work in the Borough. Infrastructure has not always historically kept pace with development and there are some parts of the Borough where infrastructure demands are currently near to, or at, full capacity. Fundamental to delivering the spatial strategy is ensuring that the necessary social, physical and green infrastructure is put in place to support the level of growth proposed and to serve the changes in the Borough’s demographic make-up that are expected to take place over the Plan period.’
You can find the Borough Local Plan here: https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/development-plan/adopted-local-plan
South West Maidenhead Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
https://consult.rbwm.gov.uk/file/6129104
7.1.17 In summary a range of infrastructure requirements that need to be funded by financial contributions have been identified arising from development in the South West Maidenhead area. These include:
- Strategic network highway junction improvements;
- Local network highway junction improvements;
- Improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure;
- Improvements to public transport provision;
- Provision of a new secondary school and primary school;
- Community and health provision;
- Contributions towards improvement to off-site playing pitch provision (not yet costed); and
- In addition, there will be a range of other primarily on-site infrastructure that will need to be provided by developers such as vehicular accesses, open space and green infrastructure, transport infrastructure provision internal to the site, etc.
South West Maidenhead Development Framework SPD (Adopted December 2022)
Part 5(a) requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach to development of the Area to avoid piecemeal or ad-hoc development proposals.
Part 5(c) requires provision of necessary social and physical infrastructure ahead of or in tandem with the development that it supports.
7.1.13 This assessment has formed the basis for considering the infrastructure requirements in this SPD. However, further work has also been undertaken to understand the infrastructure requirements for the development of the area and the potential timing of delivery. This work has included:
- Additional traffic modelling and work to determine the nature of required off-site junction improvements, and their costs;
- Consideration of the Harvest Hill Road corridor from a highways and urban design perspective, including costing work on the potential segregated walking/cycling route;
- Further consideration of walking, cycling and public transport provision in the context of emerging strategies;
- Further consideration of potential locations for the school site, the broad timing of when the schools may be required, and developing cost estimates based on benchmark figures; and
- Discussions with health providers about the need for a health facility on site.
Indicative infrastructure costs
7.1.18 In broad terms the wider infrastructure needs related to the site amount to around £120m (cost indexed to Dec 2022):
- Highway Junctions £29.4m;
- Walking and Cycling £11.6m;
- Public Transport £1.8m;
- Schools £70.2m; and
- Community and Health £7.1m
Utilities are not included under Infrastructure but in a separate section 4.11. However these are statutory services that have to be paid for. They do not appear to have been costed.
4.11.1 Maidenhead Wastewater Treatment Works is located to the east of the SWMSPA and has a catchment that covers all of the town. The Council and Thames Water signed a Statement of Common Ground in 2020 in relation to the BLP. It was agreed that whilst there are no proposed upgrades to Maidenhead Sewage Treatment Works (STW) in the 2020-25 period, the proposed levels of growth can be accommodated. It added that the capacity of the STW will be continually monitored as growth comes forward and that should upgrades be necessary, they will be put in place in time to support the scale of development planned in the BLP, including in Maidenhead.
4.11.2 The Licensed Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for the Borough is Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSEPD). Cadent, formally National Grid Gas Distribution Limited is the gas network strategic infrastructure provider for the Borough. Electric and gas network operators have a legal duty to respond to requests for new supplies, and it is not anticipated that there would be any constraints in terms of the provision of such utilities for the South West Maidenhead development.
Water supply and sewage
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-stressed-areas-2021-classification
Water stress applies to both the natural environment and to public water supplies. Both will be affected by climate change. Public water supplies are under pressure from reductions in abstraction to make them more environmentally sustainable. There is also a need to make public water supplies more resilient to droughts and meet additional demands associated with development and population growth. The companies determined to be in areas of serious water stress include South East Water and Thames Water.
Local authorities can use the water stress determination to inform whether they can require the tighter standard of 110 litres per head per day in new developments. The BLP states:
14.16.5 Sustainable management of natural resources is important and the Borough is in one of the driest parts of the country. It also experiences a high level of demand for water and in some areas the demand is close to exceeding the available supply.
14.6.7 There is a demonstrable need for new water resource schemes in parts of south east England, and increased demand management to cater for water supply needs of current and future development and the protection of the environment. Should the water or sewerage undertakers or the Environment Agency identify sites that are required to deliver necessary water or sewage infrastructure, these should be safeguarded through the planning process.
Will there be an adequate water supply especially during periods of drought? From ground water abstraction, which South East Water has promised not to do or from extracting water from the Thames? There have already been incidents of raw sewage being released into the Thames, for which Thames Water has been fined. What additional sewage treatment capacity is needed and at what cost?