Campaigners have staged a protest against a project to build 1,500 homes on Maidenhead Golf Course.
Demonstrators marched through the town holding signs saying ‘just say no’ and ‘save my home’ with pictures of an owl and a dear.
The demonstration was held by the Maidenhead Great Park campaign group on Tuesday, April 16.
It comes after developer Cala Homes submitted a plan to build 1,500 homes on the golf course site this year.
The campaigners marched from Maidenhead Town Hall through the town centre to finish outside Legal & General’s Tempo building, opposite the station.
Tina Quadrino, chair of the Maidenhead Great Park campaign group said: “Legal & General (L&G) are the parent company of Cala Homes who have submitted a planning application to build 1,500 new homes on the 132 acres of council-owned woodlands and green space at Maidenhead Golf Course.
“L&G’s Environment Social Governance (ESG) pledges are not consistent with cutting down thousands of trees, destroying wildlife habitats and concreting over most of the greenspace at Maidenhead golf course.
“For example, L&G’s Climate Pledge states: ‘It will become increasingly important to combine emissions reductions with action on deforestation, biodiversity, water, and promoting a circular economy.’
“On the one hand L&G are claiming their Tempo development in the old ‘3’ building opposite Maidenhead Station follows their highest standards to ‘set a path to net zero carbon and a greener world’, while less than half a mile away they are presiding over plans to cut down thousands of trees and concrete over 100 acres of greenspace.
“It is simply not sustainable to build on woodlands and greenspace. Protecting greenspace and biodiversity is a vital part of the steps we must take to prepare for and mitigate against the effects of climate change.
“The golf course land should remain green so that our community can make the most of this publicly owned land for pollution absorption, water storage, mental and physical health and wellbeing and nature recovery.”
The Maidenhead Great Park group formed in 2020 to campaign against plans to develop the 132 acres of council-owned woodlands and green open space at Maidenhead Golf Course.
Campaigners state around 40 per cent of the publicly-owned land at Maidenhead Golf Course occupies is woodland, including five acres of ancient woodland at Rushington Copse.
The woodlands and green space at Maidenhead golf course provide important habitats for wildlife, including protected species like owls, bats and kestrels.
The campaigners have argued that the golf course development will destroy wildlife habitats and significantly increase traffic, air pollution, drought and the flood risk in Maidenhead.
In reply, John Allan, managing director at Cala Homes (Chiltern) said: “Our aim is to deliver new homes and infrastructure that Maidenhead needs, while protecting as many precious natural features as possible, including the ancient woodland, opening green spaces for the whole community to enjoy.
“Our development proposals would not increase flood risk and will comply with all national and local transport policies, including air quality impact.
“Our policy compliant application for this site, which was allocated in the RBWM Borough Local Plan in 2022, is now with the Council for review.”
You can view the application by typing reference 24/00091/OUT into the Royal Borough’s planning portal.
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