The Windsor and Ascot Development Management Committee met on Thursday 2 October 2025 to discuss a planning application for land in Ascot. The meeting was also scheduled to cover declarations of interest, and approval of the minutes from the previous meeting.

Land Bounded by Ascot Fire Station, Station Hill and West of Hermitage Parade and South of High Street Ascot

Councillors were scheduled to discuss planning application 25/01050/FULL, a proposal from London Square Developments Ltd for the redevelopment of land bounded by Ascot Fire Station, Station Hill, Hermitage Parade and High Street in Ascot. The application requests permission to build 101 dwellings, and 1,775 square metres of commercial and community floorspace, with associated parking, access, open space and landscaping. The public would also benefit from new pedestrian and cycle paths, a children's play area, and both hard and soft landscaping.

The planning officer's report in the Public reports pack noted that the site is within the Ascot Centre Allocation (AL16) in the adopted Borough Local Plan (BLP). The proposed development includes a 'Gateway building' intended as a landmark, with commercial and community uses, and residential units on the upper floors. A piazza and parkland with a children's play area would provide public open space. Three and a half storey apartment blocks and three storey town houses are planned for the southern part of the site. The development would provide 135 car parking spaces.

The planning officer's report stated that the development would provide:

• 101 homes, contributing to the council's five-year housing land supply¹
• 40 social rented flats
• improved pedestrian access to Ascot train station
• community space
• a large public open space and children's play area
• sustainability contributions
• associated economic benefits
• custom build plots

The report noted some conflicts with the adopted Local Plan policies, including an under-provision of 3-bedroom affordable homes, some amenity space not meeting standards, and integration issues with the scale of an apartment building next to the Cala site.

The planning officer's report stated that the council is unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, so planning permission should be granted unless any adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.

The planning officer's report stated that the identified harms attract no more than limited or moderate weight, and that the benefits of the scheme outweigh the harms. The planning officer recommended that the Committee authorises the Assistant Director of Planning to approve planning permission subject to conditions and the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement².

An October update to the report noted that there was a factual error in the committee report, and that 12, not 20, of the flats would not have private balconies. The update also clarified that the Ascot Placemaking SPD is adopted, not emerging.

The update also stated that the legal agreement should not have a mechanism to allow the community use to be released to wider commercial use after a 12-month period, and that a condition should be imposed to ensure that at a minimum floorspace of 318 square metres for community use within the Gateway Building is imposed.

The update also stated that the scheme is not an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development, as it does not exceed the thresholds as set out in the legislation.

The update summarised objections that had been received, including:

• inadequate parking provision
• existing infrastructure cannot cope with the additional development
• unacceptable loss of trees
• development is out of keeping with the character of the area
• the size of the community facility is inadequate
• scheme overprovides on commercial space

The update recommended deleting a condition relating to the Construction Management Plan, and amending the wordings of conditions relating to archaeology, construction environment management plan, contaminated land, and rhododendron remediation. It also recommended adding conditions for piling and a CEMP (Biodiversity), and a condition to ensure that at a minimum floorspace of 318 square metres for community use within the Gateway Building is imposed.

Planning Appeals Received and Planning Decision Report

The committee was also scheduled to note the contents of the Planning Appeals Received and Planning Decision Report.