Road closed to make cycle route at 199-home plan site

A single-track road in Maidenhead looks set to be closed to traffic to create a pedestrian and cycle route – in connection with an approved plan for 199 new homes near Maidenhead golf course.

The controversial application, which saw clashes at the Royal Borough council, was officially granted permission in August last year.

It was voted through narrowly in a development management committee meeting the previous February.

The plan specifically is for 199 homes with open and residential space, improved pedestrian and access links, and biodiversity features on the land at Manor House, south of Manor Lane and Harvest Hill, and east of Spring Hill (22/01717/FULL).

Now it looks as though some of the promised ‘access links’ are around the corner, with Windsor and Maidenhead council putting out a traffic order for a related road closure.

It intends to close Spring Hill ‘to facilitate the creation of a key pedestrian and cycle route … in connection with the development.’

According to documents submitted by the developer of the Berkeley Homes plan, ‘a robust network of pedestrian and cycle routes will be incorporated into the development.’

It outlined plans for ‘multiple pedestrian and cycle access along Manor Lane, Harvest Hill Road and Kimber’s Lane… to connect Ockwells Park to Braywick Grounds via the site.’

Spring Hill will be ‘retained and enhanced’, forming ‘a key pedestrian route’ and creating a key north-south route through the site, Berkeley Homes said – helping link up to Ockwells Park to Maidenhead town centre.

This will create ‘a safe, accessible and overlooked route that provides for a sequence of views and spaces,’ they claimed.

In January, the developer was criticised by nearby residents after trees lining Spring Hill were removed as part of enabling works for the development.

Berkeley Homes said the trees were of ‘low ecological value’, which would be replaced by ‘better quality specimens’, but residents argued the ‘environment was a second priority’.

On June 28, the Royal Borough, which is the body in charge of local roads, made a traffic order ‘to prohibit motor vehicles from entering or proceeding in Spring Hill’.

A statement of reasons signed by chief executive Stephen Evans says the route will ‘create a safe environment and improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists’.

As part of the proposal, a vehicle turning head will be created at the junction with Manor Lane, and emergency service vehicles would be exempt.

The traffic order does not specify when the road will be closed. However, it has given a deadline to give objections to the proposals.

Any objection to the proposals, together with the grounds on which it is made, should be emailed to traffic@rbwm.gov.uk or posted to Maidenhead Library, located at St Ives Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1RF.

The deadline for that is July 19.