Councillors 'happy and proud' to adopt Cookham Neighbourhood Plan

The Royal Borough officially adopted the Cookham Neighbourhood Plan with a unanimous vote from councillors. 

At an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday (September 9) the Royal Borough made the plan for Cookham part of the larger development plan for Windsor and Maidenhead.

This follows a referendum that was carried out in July where an overwhelming number of residents, 93 per cent, showed their support for the plan.

The Cookham Neighbourhood Plan will help guide developments in the parish until 2038.

It will now be part of the local planning policy for the Royal Borough to refer back to when planning decisions for Cookham are made.

It will also help to ensure residents benefit from enhanced facilities including sustainable travel through better walking and cycling routes when plans are submitted.

Protecting biodiversity and green spaces such as the Alfred Major Recreation Ground, Westwood Green and The Paddock are also a priority.

Councillor Adam Bermange (Lib Dem, Boyn Hill) said: “Whilst this is a final procedural step … it’s also the culmination of years of dedicated work by the Cookham community.

“It’s a testament to the most local level of democracy in action. … It is a plan that reflects the values and aspirations of the community it serves.”

Cllr Maureen Hunt (Con, Hurley and Walthams) was ‘delighted’ the plan had come forward for a final vote.

Cllr Helen Price (Ind, Clewer and Dedworth East) said the work of the residents and volunteers should be recognised.

She said: “Having been involved in the construction of the Windsor Neighbourhood Plan, I know how much work is involved by residents to produce [a plan] and get to this stage so I would commend all the hard work that’s been done.”

Cllr Mark Howard (Lib Dem, Bisham and Cookham) who was part of the Cookham Neighbourhood Plan committee was ‘happy and proud’ to second the proposal for accepting the plan.

Cllr Howard said: “Five years ago Cookham Parish council decided to move forward with creating a neighbourhood plan.

“This was in response to several planning proposals that the community felt were dumped upon it.  [The proposals] did not reflect the needs of their village and the community and the scale of development.

“The process was long and hard.”