Regeneration of the existing underutilised and dated site to create much-needed logistics floorspace to keep Maidenhead moving and creating 600+ jobs.
The current Maidenhead Office Park has a 77% vacancy rate, with no new letting over 5,000 sq.ft secured since 2015. This will be replaced by a state of the art logistics and industrial buildings of a high quality architectural design and appearance of a range of layout and building sizes to maximise the opportunity to attract market requirements.
Our ambition is to creation of an attractive, safe and healthy working environment for prospective employees and visitors. This can then retain and sustain prospective tenants and operators.
Specificity, in planning terms the proposals include the demolition of a two-storey office buildings and redevelopment for 4-storey industrial and logistics buildings within Use Classes E(g)(iii), B2 and B8 with surface car parking, landscaping and associated works.
In September 2023, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead went against officer recommendation and refused our outline planning application.
We appealed this decision and a Planning Inquiry was held in April 2024. We are currently awaiting the Planning Inspectorate’s decision.
Anglesea Capital are a logistics real estate investment company whos portfolio includes warehouses, distribution centres, and other industrial properties.
They have hired an expert team including Michael Sparks Associates (Architects) and SLR (Transport Consultants).
Located in Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, within Berkshire, the Maidenhead Office Park is in the South West of Maidenhead area 4km west (8 minute drive) from Maidenhead Railway Station and the town centre.
This site is currently underultised – with dated offices and only a 77% occupancy rate – meaning it is primed for regeneration.
It is suited to logistics proposals as it is very well connected to the strategic road network via existing road infrastructure (i.e. Westacott Way) which does not require significant upgrading or improvement. This offers an advantage compared to new greenfield locations which would need to construct new infrastructure.
The site is also in a relatively enclosed location, away from sensitive residential uses and well screened.
There are no alternative and comparable sites in the RBWM area which can meet the demand. Nor are there any in the wider Central and Eastern part of the Berkshire Functional Economic Market Area (“FEMA”).
This site has been used for economic purposes – whether manufacturing or aviation – for nearly 100 years.
The site was original developed the late 1920’s, when the de Havilland family first bought a wider area of land to house the de Havilland Flying School (this included the site of the Maidenhead Office Park where the terminal building and aircraft hangers were located).
In 1938, the airfield was taken over by the British Government and during the Second World War the site was the home of the Air Transport Auxiliary.
Following WW2 the northern side of the airfield (the site of Maidenhead Office Park) was home to legendary aeronautical names such as Fairey Aviation and Westland Helicopters.
Come 1959, the airfiled achieved fame for the Fairey Rotodyne achieving a World Record for Speed. By 1982, The Ministry of Defence sold White Waltham Airfield and since then, the West London Aero Club has operated the airfield.
In 1988 , the 33 acres site was bought by Clayform, the former owner of the Stead and Simpson’s shoe chain which was later renamed Development Securities. Pegasus Developments then purchased the site from Development Securities in 1995, and soon after secured planning consent for an Office Business Park.
Between 1997 and 2000, construction of the Business Park was completed, and all 5 large office buildings were leased to Nortel Networks.
By 2009 Nortel Networks had vacated the park, leaving the ownership of the buildings and site to be split up and the office buildings leased to various occupiers.
The proposals will deliver a significant boost of up to £180m to the local economy, create over 690+ additional jobs and much-needed industrial and logistics floorspace.
The new scheme could produce a further £4.8m through the local supply chain, helping existing and new local businesses grow.
Wider benefits include up to 3,686 weeks of training opportunities, investment in public art to maintain the aviation heritage of the area, and 10% biodiversity net gain.
It is projected the development has the potential to create 922 total full time equivalent (“FTE”) jobs – 691 of these will be new jobs.
This is broken down as 26 jobs during the 2-3 year construction period and 896 management and occupier jobs during operation.
During construction phase we will seek to focus on local employment with to 30% of jobs for the local community through targeted recruitment. This is made relatively easy given 855 construction enterprises based in Windsor and Maidenhead.
We will continue specific initiatives to promote local employment during operational phase to support up to 277 FTE jobs for local people, equal to 40% of the net additional occupier workforce.
The proposal is for construction in two phases. The first phase will create new space for the existing tenants to move into which is more suited to their 21st century needs. Then the existing buildings will be demolished to finish the regeneration.
The privately owned White Waltham Airfield to the south of the site is an open grass runway civilian airfield (licenced by the CAA). The airfield has three grass runways and operates for civilian flights and aviation training via the West London Aero Club.
The proposals have been decreased to 16m and the screening provided by the existing Leylandii teams means there will be little visual impact of to the runways.
In terms of safety impact, the regulatory body the AAT is satisfied with the proposals.
However, in recognition of the areas aviation heritage we are also seeking to commission a new of public piece about this history and locating it at the entrance of the site where its prominence from the approach h roads will be most impactful.
Demand for office space has declined across the UK for over a decade and this decline has accelerated since the pandemic.
There is over 100 million sq. ft of office space currently available for lease across the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. This represents 63 years of supply when considered against the 10-year average demand of 16,119 sq. ft per annum (2013-2023). Consequently, Maidenhead Office Park is suffering from 77% vacancy with some buildings having been vacant since 2017. It was constructed in the early 90s, is currently underutilized, and at risk of becoming redundant.
There is a significant need for industrial and logistics floorspace in Maidenhead as local availability and supply is low and not able to meet demand.
Anglesea Capital is proposing to transform Maidenhead Office Park into 600,000 sq ft of new, high-quality commercial space for growing local businesses.
Email support@maidenheadofficepark.net with any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you.