As a result of our recent petition asking our council to reject the environmentally damaging Borough Local Plan, Tina Quadrino was able to speak at the meeting where the motion to adopt the plan was debated. Here’s what Tina said to the councillors ahead of the vote.
“We ask that you, the elected representatives of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, reject the Borough Local Plan because it includes the biggest jewel in Maidenhead’s crown – The Golf Course.
“I wonder how many of you here have ever visited the golf course. If you have visited it, I do not know how you can possibly vote to destroy this wonderful space. The advantages of keeping this space green were outlined at our last petition. The rationale for not developing it has only become stronger in the intervening period and many voices have been telling you about this time and time again!
“A year ago, I am afraid to say that all of the conservative Cllrs present at that extraordinary council meeting voted against keeping it as green space.
So, Andrew Johnson, David Coppinger, Ross McWilliams, Phil Haseler, Donna Stimpson, Maureen Hunt, Greg Jones, Chris Targowski, Leo Walters, Gurpreet Bhangra, Stuart Carroll, Gerry Clarke, Sayonara Luxton, Gary Muir, Julian Sharpe, Shamsul Shelim, John Story, Christine Bateson, John Bowden, David Cannon, David Hilton, wWill this be a repeat performance?
“I can only assume that you have all been charged by your political leaders to vote to adopt this Borough Local Plan tonight – the preemptive post adoption statement is a bit of a give-away. But I’d like to remind everyone here, no matter what your political persuasion, that tonight you are the representatives of the residents of this Borough and let me tell you MAIDENHEAD SAYS NO!
“We say NO to the wanton destruction of our Green Lung.
“We say NO to the execution of the wildlife that will become ROADKILL.
“We say NO to further annihilation of our biodiversity.
“We say NO to the disruption, the noise and the horror that will be the situation for many years if this current plan is adopted.
“We say NO to the planned flats and apartment blocks that are so dense that they will make the ‘Prison Block’ look like child’s Lego!
“We say NO to the increased pollution and the further deterioration of our air quality.
“We say NO to the additional traffic that adding this amount of development will inevitably bring.
“This land was purchased by the council in 1953 to protect this open space for the people of Maidenhead. This council has no right, no mandate, from us, the residents to do anything else.
“Others here tonight will talk about all the many other areas of this plan that are simply not fit for purpose. The development that is only sustainable to developers’ wallets and not to the environment. They will point out all the flaws in the plan and how due process has not been followed by this administration.
“This is probably THE most important decision you will make for our community in your time as a councillor. It’s about what we leave for future generations and it is much bigger than any other single issue. Looking at the budget papers for Thursday’s Cabinet meeting we can see that this decision is going to impact us and our environment for the next 15 years.
“And so, I appeal to your integrity – are you less than Mayor Stutchbury who saved this land for this community all those years ago?
“What will your legacy be to this town? How will you be remembered in 60 years’ time? For yet another unimaginative barren housing estate or for The Maidenhead Great Park that allows our environment and thus our community to survive and to thrive?
“I know that this plan has been a long time in the making but times have changed, and so must this plan.
“Please, please do not vote to adopt the BLP this evening.”
Ways to support our campaign:
Our next steps in our campaign is seek legal advice on whether or not we have a case to take the Borough Local Plan to judicial review. We need your help to pay for the legal advice. To contribute towards our campaign, click here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/maidenhead-great-park
To find out more about how we will use the money, go to https://maidenheadgreatpark.co.uk/fundraising-for-the-maidenhead-great-park-campaign
If you are looking for people like Lord Woolf (might be retired) or some top legal eagels I MIGHT be able to help trace them, but fear they will extremely expensive.
I met Fiona Tattersal who was keen to trace document that will help your appeal. She suggested writing to all media and finding any original family who may have copies of the documents that say the land has been given to the community.
Thank you for your support and thoughts Mrs Payman.
Can I add you to our list for email updates on our campaign?
Both Braywick Action Group and Maidenhead Great Park have spent years searching for the covenant on the land.
This is utter madness the council have bought outsides in to bulldoze this through and of cause they were happy to do so because it means there of the hook in there own area disgraceful