A public meeting was held on 7th November at Ascot Race Course (Pavilion Room) to consider developemnt plans for Ascot High street site.
Hundreds of angry Ascot residents turned out on a wet November night to consider London Square’s Plans for housing, commercial and open space, on the wooded area behind Ascot Fire Station, south of the High Street, access off Station Hill (planning application (22/01971) ).
After a very clear and informative presentation by Patrick Griffin (Chairman of the Society for the Protection of Ascot & Environs - SPAE) and former solicitor, Martin Baker, the meeting voted overwhelmingly for the motion:”After careful consideration of the facts, the meeting strongly objects to the planning application submitted for Ascot centre and calls on the Council to reject it.”
Patrick Griffin explained that the proposal is for development of the 2.77 hectares of land (owned by Ascot Central Car Parks –ACCP), accessed from Station Hill, with 137 dwellings , 3,261 m2 commercial/retail, open space and loss of 46 out of 115, good specimen oaks and sweet chestnut trees.
The presentation described the application as ‘very seriously flawed’ for many reasons - firstly because 137 houses is nearly half the total 300 dwellings, allocated for the whole 12.3 hectares of Ascot High Street development land (Policy AL16), set out in the Local Plan, approved in February. So completely out of proportion to the eventual whole!
If the London Square development is permitted, at this density of around 50 dwellings per hectare (dph), as opposed to the envisioned 25 dph, there is a surely a risk that AL16 as a whole, will end up with twice the allocated 300 dwellings, at least! Similarly, the London Square site is taking half the allocation of commercial units, on only one fifth of the whole AL16 site!
As if proposing to fell 46 of the 115 fine trees, in the middle of COP27, isn’t enough, the parking proposals are equally shocking in an area already under parking stress.. The 137 dwellings are allocated only 123 parking spaces, while the commercial units would have only 6 spaces (For contrast, even Berkshire House in the High Street has 25 !). The developers have sparked outrage by claiming that under-provision is acceptable because Hermitage Parade, Car park 6 and Sainsbury’s multi storey, offer general public parking. They do not!
As to design, Patrick Griffin’s opinion is that: “The proposed 4 storey block with flat roofs, facing Station Hill is really in your face and totally out of character with this location.”
There are 3 areas within the High Street development area, referred to in the Local Plan as AL 16, with three different landowners/developers – ACCP/London Square, Bloor Homes and Ascot Racecourse. There is a Local Plan requirement for the different owners /developers to work and consult with each other, precisely so that the overall, cohesive development is achieved, according to the Local Plan and public wishes. (The other two parcels of High Street development land, within AL16, are not as advanced in planning).
The Local Plan was approved only in February this year, at the end of a very long line of public consultation and overwhelming democratic approval (including of the Neighbourhood Plan at 91% approval rating), stretching right back to the huge, 2011 public meeting with the Princes Foundation – out of which was born the Vision for Ascot High Street. SPAE, the Neighbourhood Plan Delivery Group and the meeting, say that the current planning application bears very little resemblance and has betrayed that Vision.
The lack of co-operation and consultation on this development proposal, is illustrated by the absence of the required Supplementary Planning Document and Development Brief. There is also very little evidence that the developers are working together, to create a cohesive development which would enhance Ascot centre – which is what the public really wants, if there must be development !. And communication between developers and stakeholders is lamentable (despite a helpful exhibition on the field in the summer – describing the plans, and two articles by London Square, here on AscotMatters ) .
Parish Councillor, John Gripton, said:“The Parish Council has objected, citing all the issues raised this evening, but nothing is coming back to us or the community.”
The London Square planning application should already have been decided by now, but campaigners are worried that RBWM may be minded to approve it:
Mr Griffin said that there have been pre- application talks going on for 18 months , which suggests the parties must be getting close to something acceptable.
The application will also be decided by the relevant RBWM Development Control Panel, on which three of our councillors will probably represent us – Cllrs Julian Sharpe, David Hilton and Sayonara Luxton. However the Panel also comprises councillors from elsewhere in the Borough, who may have different priorities to Ascot residents.
The Council also has very demanding housing targets to meet and, like all Councils, is in great need of cash. There is a fear that one man’s serious flaws in the application, could be interpreted as ‘providing much-needed housing, keeping car use to a minimum, providing the much desired extra retail and open space’. Many of the fine trees would be kept (despite losing 46) and this is a good attempt at being ‘sustainable’. And much has changed in the 11 years since the Princes Foundation public meeting.
All this means that approval of the London Square plan, even as it stands, is a real possibility.
Cllr Peter Deason, vice Chair of Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council Planning Committee, said that he believed London Square are due to present a revised planning application to Sunninghill & Ascot Parish Council, on November 16th. The public needs to be made aware of the changes as, if still not acceptable, members of the public need to send in fresh objections for them to count.
SPAE emphasised the importance of writing to all councillors – not just our own – so that the strength of feeling is appreciated across RBWM and Bracknell Forest - which cover an Ascot ward.
There was also an inconclusive discussion about having a petition, demonstrations and preparing for a Judicial Review (JR) of RBMW’s decision – should they approve the planning application. The strategy for amassing the £42,000 to £50,00 fund which estimates say would be needed, even for the first stage of a JR, is at an early stage and fraught with difficulty. However, this could be the only realistic way to challenge a Yes decision (which has to be done within 6 weeks). Unless the application is rejected, when it would almost certainly go to a Planning Appeal, decided by a Government-appointed Planning Inspector. In this forum, SPAE and residents would be able to make representations.
So, while we wait to see if London Square have modified the planning application satisfactorily, what can residents do if they are unhappy:
WHAT TO DO
: Make your concerns on Planning Application (22/01971 ) known to all relevant Parish and RBWM councillors and both MPs CLICK HERE for LIST & HERE
: Look out for the amended application, if there is one, and object afresh
: Consider joining SPAE - https://www.spae.org/ and contributing to the ‘war chest’
: Attend the Development Control meeting when the planning application is to be decided (timescale unknown, possibly at York House, Sheet Street Windsor)
: Look out for events/ meetings/petitions which will be listed on AscotMatters
SPAE would like to know your views on proceeding with a Judicial Review so contact them at https://www.spae.org/contactUs.php
A Judicial Review objects to a decision on the grounds that due process has not been followed – it is not a rehash of the merits of the development. Therefore, the grounds for a Judicial Review would be :
: Failure to submit a Development Brief
: Failure to submit Supplementary Planning Information
: Overprovision of dwellings in the context of approved Policy AL16 as a whole
: Overprovision of offices in the context of approved Policy AL16 as a whole
: Possible lack of community benefits as required by Neighbourhood and Local Plan policies
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATES
CONTACT DETAILS FOR COUNCILLORS & MPs
Local representative contact details:
Member of Parliament
Mr Adam Afriyie, MP - Bus. phone: 01753 678693; Fax: 01753 832774; adam.afriyie.mp@parliament.uk
RBWM Ward Councillors – these are our elected representatives who should be aware of your feelings about this application. These councillors covering the wards in the Ascot postcode area are as follows:
Ascot & Sunninghill (including Ascot Centre and part of North Ascot)
Cllr David Hilton - 01344 626784 - cllr.hilton@rbwm.gov.uk - also Planning Panel Member
Cllr Julian Sharpe - 01344 625109 - cllr.sharpe@rbwm.gov.uk - also Planning Panel Member
Cllr John Story - 01344 622035 - cllr.story@rbwm.gov.uk
Sunningdale & Cheapside
Cllr Christine Bateson - 07770 866876 - cllr.bateson@rbwm.gov.uk
Cllr Sayonara Luxton - 01344 638730 - cllr.luxton@rbwm.gov.uk - also Planning Panel Vice-Chair
Ascot (including part of North Ascot)
Cllr Dorothy Hayes - 07824 864920 - dorothy.hayes@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Cllr Nigel Atkinson - 07980 984158 - nigel.atkinson@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
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t has been 10 years since the Ascot Sunningdale & Sunninghill Neighbourhood Plan Delivery Group worked with the community and the Prince's Foundation to develop the Vision for the centre of Ascot and sometime since the last communication. However, there has been an important development. A planning application (22/01971) has been submitted by the developer London Square to redevelop part of Ascot Centre, a strategic site in the Neighbourhood Plan. For more information please check out the new website: https://www.ascotandthesunningsnp.com
The Ascot, Sunninghill & Sunningdale Neighbourhood Plan Delivery Group (AS&S NPDG) and the Society for the Protection of Ascot & Environs (SPAE) have significant concerns. The purpose of the public meeting is to update & inform residents about the proposed development.