Pictured: Vision for Ascot High St Packed Meeting : October 29th www.ascotandthesunnings.com
Hundreds of Ascot residents, land agents, business people and councillors attended the follow- up to the ideas session - the Vision for Ascot High Street, at Ascot Racecourse on Monday October 29th. The crowd, estimated to be larger than the 200 at the first meeting, heard about radical proposals to transform Ascot into a 'real destination', with a proper two - sided High Street - with hundreds of houses, small shops, workshops, leisure facilities, a village green, road junction improvements, car parks, cycle paths; even a new health centre and a district green energy generator. The area under consideration stretches from St.George's Lane, to Heatherwood roundabout and from Ascot Station to the Racecourse stand.
The meeting was organised by the Ascot & Sunnings Neighbourhood Plan team (CLICK HERE to see article about its members and work; CLICK HERE to see article on the Ocober 8th meeting) , in association with the Prince's Foundation who are very much taking the lead - The Charity was founded by the Prince of Wales 15 years ago and focusses on design, as well as social, financial and natural infrastructure.. CEO, Hank Dittmar told the meeting: " We empower people to make a difference and create sustainable communities."
Click on the map to enlarge it 
Margaret Morgan, Co- Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and Chair of the Ascot sub group introduced Mr Dittmar. He has spent the 3 weeks since the October 8th meeting, distilling the comments made at the last meeting and at subsequent ' stakeholder meetings' with local youth, businesses and local authorities.
After reminding everyone that the public appeared to be in favour of creating a heart for Ascot, making it a two - sided street, having more independent retailers, less traffic congestion, a leisure/centre/arts centre/cinema, he described a remarkably well- developed set of concepts and 'soft proposals' for the High Street area. These were organised into Housing, Economy, Transport & Community Facilities
Although Mr Dittmar stressed that these were still concepts - not formal proposals - plans showed terraced housing beind the Jaguar garage, a further developement of larger houses on the other side of the road, a development (pictured left) on the corner of Station Hill and the High Street (currently Car Park 5), showing a village green surrounded by trees, small shops, car parking, workshop units, a primary school and an arts facility.
Also proposed were junction improvements at Station Hill and WInkfield Road (within existing highway land), as well as a relocated Esso garage to a more suitable site at the Winkfield Road end. Even mentioned was a new health facility near Ascot Station and a separate pedestrian cyle way south of the High St
The meeting was reminded that Heatherwood site was the subject of a separate consultation at the moment .
Although Mr Dittmar conceded that more housing hadn't been a public priority necessarily, he stressed significant development would be required to generate the S 106 money which would fund the public facilities. Housing would also make the town centre a more vibrant place which could support new shops, leisure and restaurants..
The serious issue of rental costs in the High Street was not addressed in detail, despite being raised several times - though it was suggested that there could be local authority control of some of the new premises.
Despite concerns about the massive obstacles of the land being Green Belt, privately owned land and not for sale, high rental costs, relocating the current Racecourse car parks, Mr Dittmar seemd unconcerned, explaining that when a planning designation is changed to permit development , this creates value (potential profit for the owners) which often facilitates purchase of the land.
There was remarkably little dissent. Non of the speakers expressed concern at loss of Green Belt land ( with or without 'judicious trade-offs' of land), the open aspect of the High Street, or what Ascot might be like during the years of possible development at the station, Heatherwood Hospital, the ex servicemen's club, as well as north and south of the High Street. This was not an evening for considering details like how the local planners would deter would-be developers of flats, once the Green Belt is gone and the principle of development on Ascot Wood etc established.
Stev Brannan said "it's a great plan.. It's an excellent repsonse in the short time available. It'll never work with the petrol station in the middle of it.. I'm all in favour of this!"
Local historian, Christine Weightman, said: "It's nice to see Ascot coming of age. Shouldn't the new school be at the heart of the community?. .. It could be used as a community centre."
The soft proposals seemed to be very positively received on balance and, though the presentation raised more questions than it answered, it was certainly an inspiring kick start to thinking about creating a heart for Ascot.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The Neighbourhood Plan (of which the Ascot High Street Vision is a part), will be written by Spring 2013. An Inspector will certify that this Plan is in hamony with the emerging RBWM Local Plan. And then - the radical new idea - there will be a public referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan . Meanwhile, CLICK HERE to contribute to the Vision via Twitter