Campaigners lodge legal challenge to adoption of Local Plan
Campaigners against the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead’s Local Plan have raised enough money for legal advice on whether this can be challenged at judicial review.
The Maidenhead Great Park campaign said on its fundraising page it had raised more than £11,000 for legal and ecological advice over development on publicly owned parkland leased to Maidenhead Golf Course.
Campaign chair Tina Quadrino said: “Many people in Maidenhead are utterly dismayed by the adoption of the environmentally damaging borough local plan.
“Since then, we have been contacted by other individuals and groups campaigning against the destruction of their local green space, sanctioned by this terrible plan. “
Ms Quadrino said the plan would see 2,000 homes built on green belt land at Maidenhead Golf Course and 330 at the separate Spencer’s Farm site.
She said enough money had been raised for the first round of legal advice from a barrister to determine whether there was a case for judicial review.
A council spokesperson said: “The council has received notification that a legal claim regarding the adoption of the borough local plan has been lodged with the court. The council remains confident that due process has been followed in making the plan. The adopted [plan] continues to have full weight in the planning process.”
A sustainability appraisal was undertaken, which included issues around sustainability, climate change and biodiversity, the council said.
The spokesperson added: “Having a new sound and adopted local plan puts the borough in a strong position to meet, in a sustainable way, all our local housing and employment needs, to capture investment and regeneration opportunities, guard against unsupported speculative development and protect our valued natural and built historic heritage.
“While a tiny fraction of Green Belt development is needed in sustainable locations, the borough local plan still protects 82% of the borough as Green Belt and just 1% has been released for new homes and employment.”
Mark Smulian