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THE WINDSOR AND ETON SOCIETY

Incorporating Windsor Heritage

NEWSLETTER No 85   February 2019

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Notes from Your Chair

At the time of writing The Society has a talk and dinner in February, and the former will have taken place and the latter will be imminent by the time this newsletter reaches you.

This year, 2019, marks the two hundredth anniversary of the births of both Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. Celebrating this will be the theme of the Annual Dinner when our guest will be Sir Jonathan Marsden, who arranged the major exhibition “Victoria and Albert, Art and Love”, which featured their contributions to cultural life and the Royal Collection. In addition, there are to be two other events which are detailed in this newsletter. Windsor was the royal couple’s principal residence and they have contributed to the town in many ways.

We have continued to have an interesting talks programme and have outings scheduled. I am grateful to the committee who work hard for The Society and above all to the members who attend our functions. We always welcome additional members, so if you have friends who are interested in the past and future of their towns please bring them along.

I attend the meetings of the Heritage & Environment Committee and continue to be impressed by the members’ knowledge of planning and their commitment to preserving the milieu of Windsor and Eton without allowing them to ossify. We do have issues, on occasion, with people who try and take our name in vain, but The Society has clear aims and objectives to which we scrupulously adhere.

Our website, which is an important communication link for The Society, is in the process of being upgraded. Malcolm Leach is our new website manager and there will be a report from Malcolm on the work he is doing in the May 2019 newsletter.

We said goodbye to Graham Morley as secretary at the beginning of the year and thank him for his work in that role.

Heritage and Environment

A Planning Applications

Letters written after November meeting

  1. 19 Arthur Road, Windsor – single storey side/rear extension with roof terrace above, alterations to rear fenestration, raising of ridge, second floor roof extension with Juliet balcony, rear dormer and 4 rooflights to facilitate a loft – (PA 18/02763/FULL) – We expressed particular concerns about the size of this extension and the raising of the roof ridge.                                                                                                        Refused
  2. Windsor Physiotherapy, Essex Lodge, 69 Osborne Road Windsor SL4 3EQ –construction of a new building comprising 11 x two bedroom and 3 x one bedroom flats with associated parking, alteration to existing access and new bin enclosure – (PA 18/03027/FULL) – This is a second application for this site. We still have concerns about the mass and bulk of this proposal particularly in this prominent position on the edge of a Conservation Area.                                                                                                                                                                Refused
  3. 23 Hatch Lane, Windsor SL4 3QY- single storey extension and new vehicular access – (PA 18/02852/FULL) – Concern that the development is out of keeping with the local area and is being carried out without planning permission. Refused
  4. 57 Bexley Street, Windsor – Part single, part first and second floor extension – (PA18/03060/FULL) – Particular concern about the size of this extension and the raising of the roof ridge.                    Refused

Letters written after December meeting

  1. 207 St Leonard’s Rd. – Demolition of outbuildings, 2 storey extension and conversion of resulting building to 4 x one bedroom dwellings – (PA 18/03181)  Concern about lack of parking and resulting vehicle movements on already busy, congested road – B3022                                                                                   Pending
  1. 1423 China Kitchen, 4 Church Lane, SL4 1PA- New windows in shopfront – (PA 18/03207) – Listed building in Conservation Area. We did not consider the proposed sliding, folding doors were in keeping with the upper floor windows, building or area.                                                                                                     Permitted
  2. The Sebastopol, 137 Clewer Hill Road, SL4 4DW – Demolition and construction of 6 x 1bedroom and 3 x 2bedroom apartments – (PA 18/03360) – A previous application was refused. We have no objection to the idea but thought the design rather bland and uninspiring for a significant corner site.                            Pending
  3. Alma Medica 47 Alma Road, SL4 3HH – Change of use from D3(Medical Consulting) to C3 (Dwelling House) – (PA 18/03395) – This property is in Conservation Area.  There is a lack of information so concern was expressed about possible redevelopment of the building and we requested that certain features should be retained.   Withdrawn

Letters written after January meeting (2019)

  1. Squires Garden Centre, Maidenhead Road, SL4 5UB – Erection of 39 dwellings, creation of new access off Maidenhead Road and provision of parking, internal circulation, public open space, landscaping and related infrastructure – (PA 18/03754) – We requested that the hedgerow and trees bordering the A 308 be maintained, in particular 2 oak trees, and that the large block on the corner be of less bland design and complement the neighbouring ‘Willows’ buildings.                                                                                         Pending
  2. G.Motorpoint, 437-441 St Leonard’s Rd., Windsor, SL4 3DT – construction of 56 bed hotel (PA 18/02391) – This application follows the refusal of one for a 61 bed hotel. We objected to the previous application. The developers have worked with the planning officers on several designs. The latest, although an improvement, was not thought to be very attractive and other objections to the development also remained. In September it was decided to write a simple objection letter re-iterating our previous points. Since we wrote in September there have been significant new documents added to the proposal. We have major concerns about the Highways Report and travel issues. There are also deficiencies in the landscaping proposal.                                            Withdrawn
  3. Meejana, 1 Church Lane, Windsor SL4 1PA – re-painting of building, installation of 2 awnings, replacement door and shop window (retrospective) Consent to display illuminated and non-illuminated signage, menu board and vinyls – (PA 18/03665) – We supported this application both in terms of the proposed paint palette and the replacement door and windows.                                                                                        Pending 

B Updates to Planning Applications mentioned in previous Newsletters

  1. Street Record, Shirley Avenue, Windsor – (Appeal PA 18/60066/REF PA 17/00482) – Our concerns are twofold: the height of the development in an area of low rise housing and the loss of employment in the area as offices/light industrial work is replaced with housing.                                                                          Appeal dismissed
  2. Mahjacks, 61 – 63 Dedworth Road, Windsor SL4 5AZ – Variation Under Reg 73 Proposal: Variation of condition (24) (under Section 73) to substitute approved plans with amended plans for mixed use development with retail unit at ground floor and 13 x apartments above, with access, car parking, servicing and landscaping following demolition of existing buildings approved under PA 15/04147 – (PA 18/01037) There is already permission to build flats on this site which we considered to provide substandard living conditions in terms of space and light. Our concerns were expressed in this letter.                                                                                        Invalidated and removed
  3. Windsor Business Quarter, 67 Alma Road, Windsor (PA 18/00095 – PA 18/60072 / NONDET) as an appeal has already been lodged by the developer against the non-determination of the above planning application, it was decided to write another letter to the Planning Inspectorate urging them not to allow the appeal. This letter did not replicate the one previously sent to the RBWM planning committee but focused on the many reasons for refusal which the Borough decided not to major on. The appeal hearing will be held at the Windsor Racecourse on 26th March 2019 and is scheduled for up to 8 days. 
  1. Eton College, Slough Road, Eton – New buildings for recreational activities (PA 18/02033) – We met on the site and were shown the plans and the areas for development. We wrote expressing support but, as part of the development is on green belt, we stressed that the ‘very special circumstances’ for such development should be a commitment by Eton College for community use of the facilities. We also requested that the extra parking space should be available for use at public events at the College.      Approved, now sent to Secretary of State (Green belt)
  2. 61-63 Dedworth Road -a series of applications relating to the discharge of conditions attached to the planning permission for the former Mahjacks site (PAs 18/0018/02420 and 02438/39/40/41/42/43/44/45/46) – Several conditions of the planning consent for this development have not been complied with and residents have been inconvenienced. While there is little to be done about the past actions of the developers, it was decided that we should write noting the non-compliance and asking the Borough to keep a close eye on progress to ensure that conditions are complied with in future.                                                      Invalidated and removed        
  3. Land to the rear of Maynard Court, Clarence Road, Windsor – erection of 2 maisonettes with associated parking following the demolition of 4 garages (PA 18/02085)   – This site has a complicated history. We objected to a previous application which was refused and then granted on appeal. The developers have built the shell up to roof level with a larger footprint than that approved. The current application is retrospective for this larger development following enforcement action. An appeal has been dismissed for three flats instead of  two. –  Permitted
  4. 9–11 Imperial Road, Windsor – outline application for 2 x 2 bed dwellings, 14 apartments, parking etc. following demolition of present buildings (PAs 18/02637 18/02637, 18/02637)   – This site has already won an appeal for development but these are new plans. We still have serious concerns about the parking provision and the impact of vehicle movement on this very busy section of road.                    Pending

Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airspace and Future Operations Consultation 8.1.19 – 4.3.18. Information can be found on www.heathrowconsultation.com

Special Announcement

The Society needs a Treasurer to succeed the current holder of the office, Chris Simon, who has done a great job for us over several years. Please can you help? You do not need to be a qualified accountant but what is required is common sense and attention to detail.  Duties include receiving and making payments on behalf of The Society, making reports of the financial situation to the quarterly committee/Trustees’ meetings, the Charity Commission and preparing the accounts for the annual audit. The current Treasurer is leaving the Society’s accounts in very good order. 

The Society also needs a Secretary to succeed the previous holder of the office who retired at the end of last year. We hope there is a temporary replacement, but we may need someone in the future. Might you be able to assist us? The role involves taking minutes for the quarterly meetings and distributing papers to the committee, assisting the Chair with compiling the Annual Report, helping to arrange the AGM, and sending e-mail communications to members. As with the Treasurer what is needed is common sense and attention to detail.

If you are interested in either of these positions and think you can help, please contact Margaret Lenton by e-mail or phone (details at the bottom of the newsletter).