CAMPAIGNERS who want a former golf club to become a park instead of a huge housing estate say they are considering legal options in their fight against the council.
The Maidenhead Great Park group has vowed not to give up the fight to save the 132-acre Maidenhead Golf Course from being concreted over into 2,000 homes.
They have been trying to block plans for the borough local plan, which earmarks multiple sites for thousands of homes to meet the Royal Borough’s future economic and housing needs until 2033.
The council has always insisted that the local plan was found to be “sound” and “lawful” by an independent planning inspectorate and remained “confident” that due process was followed.
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The group's previous legal challenge was blocked after a ‘technical error’ made by the campaigner’s previous solicitor - over which the group is demanding compensation.
Further disappointment hit protesters after their renewal hearing in the High Court in November for an extension of time was refused by Judge Sir Ross Cranston.
Despite the setbacks, Maidenhead Great Park chairwoman Tina Quadrino said the group is still “considering other legal options” to continue the fight.
She said: “Every day that passes, there is more scientific information being published that demonstrates the enormous value of the golf course land to our community if it is left wooded and green.
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“For example, there have been studies that show older trees lock away twice as much planet-warming carbon as previously thought, and the decline in insect populations is reducing yields of healthy foods like fruit and vegetables.
“At the recent Biodiversity COP15, our government pledged to set aside 30 per cent of our land to nature recovery by 2030.
“The golf course land is absolutely perfect for this, so it’s more important than ever that we continue to raise awareness of the value of this publicly owned land to mitigate the effects of climate change, including as a place for biodiversity, water storage, pollution absorption, carbon capture, and amenity.”
The group is set to hold a public drop-in session at the community centre in Marlow Road next month to discuss their next steps. The drop-in session will take place from 11am to 2pm on Friday, February 10.
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