Those of you who attended our AGM at the end of May will know we have serious concerns about proposals for large scale building in the centre of Ascot. 

Planning application (RBWM 22/01971) has now been published. 

SPAE has been supportive all along about the rejuvenation of Ascot and a Vision for the High Street was produced by the Prince’s Foundation in 2013 in conjunction with the local community.

What is now being planned bears little resemblance with this Vision. This proposal will have a serious impact on Ascot and the wider area. 

The plans comprise 137 homes (34 terrace and 103 flats) together with 3,261sqm of office / commercial / retail space sandwiched into the area between Station Hill, the Clock House and the High Street. 

We need you to write to the Council to express you opposition to these plans and you may find the following helpful in preparing your response. 

o   OVER DEVELOPMENT HOUSING – 137 homes crammed into 2.77ha (i.e. 50 dwellings / ha). This will be disproportionate for the High Street 

o   COMMERCIAL / RETAIL - 3,261sqm commercial / retail is proposed. For comparison purposes, Berkshire House on three floors including retail is approximately 4,500sqm

o   PARKING – for 3,261sqm commercial / retail, there will be just SIX car parking spaces for retail staff only, and none for shoppers! The proposal is reliant on using Car Park 6, Sainsbury’s Car Park, Hermitage Parade Car Park and Budgens Car Park – NONE of which is owned by the applicant!!

o   PARKING – for 137 homes, there will be just 123 vehicle spaces – so NO spaces for 14 residences (10%). These spaces would also need to accommodate occasional visitors including shoppers

o   FOUR STOREY BLOCKS – these flat roof structures will be adjacent to Station Hill and the High Street, and completely out of character with Ascot

o   COMMUNITY CULTURAL SPACE – 187sqm for a community centre is completely inadequate, when the need is for a centre capable of use as a community hall and an arts space or small cinema (The Prince’s Foundation Vision)

o   TREES – 46 of 115 trees will be lost (i.e. 40%), where most are categorised as high or of moderate quality

There is a mountain of documentation supplied with the application which you may find daunting. However, there is a link below to important documents which you will find helpful.

The Neighbour Consultation Expiry Date for receipt of responses is THURSDAY 18thAUGUST 2022. 

Please write to the Council (planning@RBWM.gov.uk) to express your objection to these plans. 

22/01971/FULL | Redevelopment of the site to provide 3,261sqm commercial and community floorspace (mix of uses within Use Classes E, F1 and F2) and x137 dwellings with associated parking, access, open space, landscaping and other associated works. Provision of new public open space with associated hard and soft landscape works, new pedestrian and cycle paths and children's play area. | Land Bounded By Ascot Fire Station Station Hill And West of Hermitage Parade And South of High Street Ascot (rbwm.gov.uk)

Under the “Documents” dropdown, look for the “Document Type” column: 

o   Planning Statement – this comprises the (selective) planning policies that may apply to this application. Specifically, please see “Proposed Development” (Section 4. p.9)

o   Transport Assessment – this includes information on traffic surveys and arrangements, and parking surveys and arrangements

o   Plans – this comprises those for terrace and apartments, but attention should be given to “parking allocation plan”, “storey heights layout”, “supporting planning layout” and “presentation planning layout” 

o   Supporting Information - Arboricultural Report – this is an impact assessment which includes details of tree losses (forty-six individual trees and three groups of trees)