Helpful Planning Information

• Maintaining records of listed buildings, conservation areas, register of Historic Parks and Gardens and sites scheduled as Ancient Monuments;
• Providing specialist advice on listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas;
• Production of Conservation Area Appraisals;
• Leaflets with further details in regards to listed buildings and conservation areas. 

Green Belt

Within the Royal Borough, the boundaries of the Green Belt are defined in the Local Plan. At present it is not possible to view the Proposals Maps online. However to find out if a property or site is in the Green Belt, click on the 'Maps Online' tab on the Borough Planning website then follow the link to 'My House - Find an Address', and enter the address details and press search. On the right hand side of the webpage is a list of information categories; select 'My Environment and Planning'. Below the map a list of information about the property will appear, one of which informs you of whether the property is in the Green Belt or not.

Alternatively, you can phone the Planning Policy Unit on 01628 683810, or the Local Plan is available to view at the Council's main offices and in all borough libraries.

Flood Plan

The Environment Agency provides the Borough Council with maps showing the extent of the area liable to flood linked to different annual probabilities. This data can be provided to view through a request in advance to the Planning Policy Unit, however, the information can also be viewed through the Environment Agency website. You may also phone the Environment Agency's helpline on 01277 454345.

It should be noted the Environment Agency regularly updates their advice on the area liable to flood. This may result in changes to local flood risk.

Emergency Planning

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has an Emergency Plan which details the Local Authority response procedures following a request for Council assistance from any of the Emergency Services. Such a request is likely to be in consequence of a major incident that requires the special mobilisation or co-ordination of Borough resources. Sections of the plan can also be used in the event of incidents not called by the Emergency Services and not falling under the definition of a 'Major Incident' but still requiring a larger than normal response from Council resources. The aim is to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to any incident.

Definition of a Major Incident

A major incident is defined as a serious disruption to life, arising with little or no warning, causing or threatening death or serious injury to, or rendering homeless, such numbers of people in excess of those which can be dealt with by the Local Authority or other public services operating under normal procedures and which calls for the special mobilisation and organisation of those services.

The Datchet Design Guide has been added to the Supplementary Planning Documents on the Borough Website:

What is the Datchet Design Guide?

In 2019-20, Datchet’s Neighbourhood Plan (DNP) group was talking to residents and pounding the pavements with a team of planners, helping to identify the design quality which makes our village a distinctive and attractive place.
In collaboration with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) and a specialist urban design, planning and development consultancy, the information has been distilled into a Datchet Design Guide (DDG). Its purpose is to help home owners, developers and planners to maintain and improve Datchet in ways which are in keeping with the character of our village.
The intention is that any new development, big or small, extension or loft conversion, should reinforce this character, using cues from the local area to create a design which is sympathetic to its surroundings while providing a contemporary interpretation.
This is particularly relevant for Datchet as the submission version of RBWM’s Borough Local Plan includes a proposal for 80 new homes on a site known as AL39 (formerly HA42) between London Road and the motorway. The Datchet Design Guide will help to ensure that any new development is visually attractive and sympathetic to local character and history, and maintains a strong sense of place.
A Design Guide can also help to resolve some of the issues highlighted by residents on the DNP character assessment walks, at the drop-in sessions and other events, and in the village-wide survey.

Do we need a design guide?

Government policy states that planning permission should be refused for poorly-designed development which does not take advantage of opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area and the way it functions.
To this end, local authorities are working with local communities to develop design policies. RBWM secured a grant from the Government’s Design Quality Fund for the development of a Datchet Design Guide to support Datchet's Neighbourhood Plan.
The current public consultation gives us all an opportunity to evaluate and comment on the proposals, and have a say in the way our village develops.

Where can I view the Datchet Design Guide?

The Datchet Design Guide 

If you have any enquiries, please contact RBWM’s Planning Policy Department by email, planning.policy@rbwm.gov.uk or by telephone (01628) 796357.