More details on plans for 135 homes in West Windsor

More details on a large chunk of a 450-home plan for West Windsor has been logged with the council for its appraisal.

More detailed plans are in for land West of Windsor (AL21) in Water Oakley, north of the A308, for 135 homes (40 per cent affordable) – south of Maidenhead Road and north of Windsor Road.

The wider allocation is for about 450 new homes, open space, sports pitch, community hub and a Special Educational Needs school.

The 135 chunk includes areas of public open space, including play spaces and pocket allotments.

The site, which is about five-and-a-half hectares, is made up of redundant pasture land near to the Windsor Marina and River Thames.

Some aspects of the plans have previously been explored.

The principle of development at the site has already been established by the council’s grant of outline planning permission (reference 22/00934).

This confirms that the site is capable of accommodating up to 135 dwellings with vehicle accesses onto Maidenhead Road.

The developer, Crest Nicholson South, bought the site from Wates earlier this year.

It has outlined ‘reserved matters’, which cover more parts of the plans for the site in detail. In this case, these matters are appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.

Specifically, it is looking at what kinds of houses might be on the site, as well as what amenities.

In terms of types of homes, there is ‘potential’ for terraced or semi-detached houses and ‘small’ apartment blocks.

The majority of building heights across the site are two or 2.5 storeys with ‘some limited development’ of up to three storeys.

These taller ones will be within the central part of the site, the ‘least sensitive’ – i.e., ensuring ‘limited visibility’ from the public domain.

There are plans to ensure gardens are on north side of buildings ‘away from A308 noise source.’

The proposals include four self/custom build plots. There are ‘also opportunities for semi or detached properties.’

Potential community garden areas are proposed as either allotments or ‘micro-allotments’ and orchard planting area.

The south-east corner of site is to be retained as ‘scrub’ land to enhance ecological value of site. The applicant anticipates a biodiversity net gain of 10 per cent.

The site is ‘well screened by existing vegetation along all of its boundaries.’

A secondary vehicle access would serve seven new homes fronting onto Maidenhead Road.

There are a further five pedestrian/cycle connections proposed onto Maidenhead Road, Oakley Green Road and across the A308.

There will be a three-metre-wide shared pedestrian and cycleway, linking A308 crossing with north access and Maidenhead Road.

To look at these points in more detail, see reference 23/00582/REM.