Maidenhead regeneration: Council in 'final stages' of compulsory purchases

Plans for the Nicholson Quarter include flats, offices, shops, and restaurants

A council is pressing ahead with the final stages of compulsory purchases of land as part of a town regeneration.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has issued a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the Nicholsons Shopping Centre in Maidenhead.

It said it had sent letters to interested parties.

Plans involve knocking down the shopping centre for the new Nicholson Quarter, which will consist of flats, offices, shops, and restaurants.

Shoppers have told the BBC that many premises have closed down in recent years, and have raised concerns about too many flats being built instead.

The project has been delayed, with the decisions on whether the council could use compulsory purchase powers to acquire the buildings going to the High Court last summer.

It ruled in the council's favour.

The council said a consultation took place in the autumn, with the secretary of state confirming the CPO in November.

A council spokesperson said: "The council is now progressing the next stage of the CPO process - the final notification of confirmation of the CPO - which includes site notices, notices placed in the press and on the council website, and letters to interested parties.

"This allows interested parties to confirm their interest in the land."

The 734-space multi-storey in Maidenhead is being taken down over 12 weeks

The council said officers and councillors were currently liaising with the developers "around ambitions for this important town centre site".

Work is already under way in the area, after demolition began on the 1960s-built 734-space Broadway Car Park due to safety concerns.

That 12-week project will also see shops on King Street demolished.

Fazila Koumantarakia, the owner of Mamaloo's South African Shop, said many small businesses were "suffering" because customers had nowhere to park.

She told the BBC she backed the regeneration project as a whole but was concerned about how many flats and bars were opening instead of stores.

She added: "Maidenhead's been a dying town. The town centre's been suffering for many, many years.

"I've seen so many businesses come and go, and I hope they can get the work done quickly so new businesses will move in and we can see everyone benefit from this."