Berkshire
Gardens Trust
Reg.Charity No.1201501
Participation in the Planning Process:
August- November 2020
Bracknell Forest Borough Council
READING BOROUGH
Grade II Registered Park and Garden, Prospect Park, Calcot: Reading Borough, who own the park, would like to move the existing play area away from its current site to a part of the wider parkland opposite the car park on the main approach to the park and the listed Mansion. The facilities need upgrading to meet modern standards and expectations. We are very pleased that we were invited to comment on their pre-application ideas but are concerned that the proposed new location would have a greater adverse impact on the historic character of the park and the setting of the Mansion. We requested that other options be explored further and, in any event, should be informed by the preparation of a Heritage Statement which should accompany any future application.
Grade II Registered Park and Garden, Broadmoor, Crowthorne: We have been keeping an eye on the development proposals affecting this important site for some time now since the Hospital found that it was essential to modernise its facilities and decided to develop part of the estate. The latest application is for an extension to Kentigern House on the northern edge of the Park. BGT had no objection to this development which was well contained by the existing buildings and tree cover and would not have an adverse effect on the Park.
ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD
Draft Environment and Climate Strategy Public Consultation: This document mainly covers the natural environment and was generally supported but we felt that objectives and actions specifically covering the Historic Environment should have been included in the Draft Environment and Climate Strategy. We suggested that a new objective should be included to separately cover the historic environment or the natural environment objectives widened to include the historic environment.
Sunningdale Park Grade II Registered Park and Garden Gardeners Cottages, Silwood Road, Sunninghill: Gardeners Cottages are set within the registered Park. This is a proposal to demolish the Gardeners Cottages, Sunninghill Park and to replace them with 5 dwellings. We had no objection to the development if it was shown that renovation of the cottages cannot be reasonably achieved but suggested that it is important that the style of the present cottages is maintained as the current style fits the age and style of the mansion house and other properties within the park. Additionally, the present cottages are enhanced in our view by the trees on the boundary, which should be retained or, if necessary, replaced by similar.
Grade II* Registered Park and Garden, Park Place, Remenham: You will remember that BGT were involved in a planning appeal in February this year (see our April 2020 planning post). We are very pleased that we have now been invited to advise Wokingham Borough on the historic landscape issues at Park Place and to help them in their efforts to conserve and enhance this important park. Through the kind permission of the owner, we recently had an opportunity to tour the park together with WBC and the owner’s estate representative and the planning agent and to explore ways forward, hopefully including a new Heritage Conservation Management Plan for Park Place.
WOKINGHAM BOROUGH
WEST BERKSHIRE COUNCIL
Grade II Registered Park and Garden, Sandleford Priory: Last time we reported on the proposed houses in the north-eastern part of Sandleford Park, west of Sandleford Priory. This month more details have come in for the houses on the south-western part. Both areas of houses were approved in principle by the Council in 2015. We have been battling in the past as we were concerned that the development would harm the possible ancient route way and tree line down Warren Road and avenue along the footpath (shown on the Rocque map of 1761) which leads across the proposed country park to Sandleford Priory. The new Heritage Statement now shows that Warren Road and the footpath are 19th century changes. We are very pleased to see that the route and the tree line will still be protected. We are however waiting for confirmation that the new houses will not be visible in historic views from Sandleford Priory.
Berkshire Wide
Central and Eastern Berkshire Joint Minerals and Waste Plan: This joint document was prepared for the four Councils, Bracknell, Reading, Maidenhead and Windsor and Wokingham, by Hampshire County Council. We were very pleased to see that the proposed additional sites for minerals extraction or waste management activities would not affect any of our Registered Parks and Gardens or any known local parks and gardens. However, we felt it was important that the plan’s policies in relation to historic environment should be of the highest standard. We therefore suggested some alternative wording, including supporting the amendments proposed by Hampshire County Council’s heritage team.
General
The planning team at BGT are Bettina Kirkham, Charles Elly, Fiona Hope and Helen Parvin. Do contact any of us if you would like more information. All photos and illustrations provided by members of Berkshire Gardens Trust or with owner’s permission