Maidenhead United Ground Move Questions & Answers
York Road & the Need for Change
York Road faces significant physical and financial barriers. It’s hemmed in by a road, railway, and canal, making expansion impossible. Access is limited, and the investment required to modernise it is not viable for a club of our size. However, York Road is a valuable site and selling it will unlock the funds needed to build a new purpose-built ground that meets modern standards as well as the additional community football facilities the club needs to continue to grow and thrive.
Over the past decade, we’ve invested more than £1 million in improvements including a new stand, toilets, turnstiles, and pitch upgrades. Despite this, the site’s limitations mean it can never fully meet the needs of a modern football club.
We’re committed to preserving our heritage. Any new ground will include displays, memorabilia, and tributes to our history—ensuring the past remains part of our future.
Absolutely not. This is our choice and our project. Selling York Road is the way we can fund the move while contributing significantly to wider town amenities. The decision to relocate is about securing the club’s future.
Ownership, Finances & Intentions
No. The ground is owned in trust by a not for profit company for the benefit of the club and community. Any new ground would be held under the same ownership model to ensure the long term benefit of the club’s assets are secure for the long-term benefit of the club and the town.
All of the proceeds from the sale of our York Road Ground will be spent building the new ground and training/community football facilities. Whilst Chairman Peter Griffin has personally invested in the club’s development over many years, he has no ownership of its property and will not benefit financially from the ground move.
No. Peter Griffin remains committed to the club. The move is about securing a sustainable future and enabling growth across football and community programmes.
The Kilman transfer was a short-term lifeline. It helped stabilise the club, ensure York Road met safety standards, and support day-to-day operations. However, it doesn’t provide the long-term solution that a new ground would.
Our men’s team plays in a professional league where most clubs are full-time. To remain competitive, we pay our players—but always within our means. Importantly, we invest more annually in community programmes and infrastructure than we do in our playing budget.
Any buyer of York Road will pay the market rate and assume all the risk of development. The sale and redevelopment are subject to strict commercial, legal, and planning processes—exactly as with any other land deal.
Braywick Proposal
It’s not just about capacity—a new, modern ground will future-proof the club, so that we are able to meet the ground criteria for promotion to the English Football League should that happen in the future. This is a requirement of our continued participation in the National League system. It’s also about facilities: we lack separate changing rooms for female players and amenities that improve the fan experience and generate revenue to support the club’s growth in all aspects – In addition to funding the new ground some of the proceeds of the sale of York Road will be used to build the additional astroturf and futsal facilities needed to support our grassroots football and futsal programmes. Importantly, for the club to grow its social impact through the town’s economy then the club itself needs to be fit for purpose. A new ground would be a catalyst to almost doubling the social benefit we have on the town’s residents to £10million.
We’ve explored multiple options. Braywick is the only available and suitable location keeping us close to the Maidenhead town centre and maintaining our connection to the community.
We’ve listened and revised our plans. The new proposal has a smaller footprint, relocates daily-use facilities elsewhere, and reduces visual, environmental and traffic impact, whilst locating the ground at the town's established sports hub.
This proposal is further away from the rugby club than the first proposal and no longer shares traffic access. It does not impact on any of the rugby club’s leased facilities. The Council will review the existing grass pitch layouts at Braywick Park and help optimise the number of grass pitches available for rugby and other sports users.
We have consulted with the planning authority whilst exploring options and the feedback we have received is that Braywick is the already the designated sports hub for Maidenhead and therefore a sensible location for a new football ground. We believe our proposal will add value to the park and enhance the experience for all users.
No. The ground will have its own dedicated access route from Stafferton Way, completely separate from the leisure centre car park. On match days, any fans arriving by car will be directed to use the existing, underused car park at Vicus Way. Being a town-centre location, we expect most home and away supporters to continue using public transport, with the proposed site just a short walk from the station. From the outset, traffic flow and access have been key considerations, and the plans include measures to keep vehicles away from the congestion hotspot at the front of Braywick.
Accessibility is a priority. There will be blue badge parking spaces, likely bookable in advance for match days—something York Road currently does not offer. We’re also exploring partnerships to provide transport options to enable more supporters to attend matchdays at the new location. Taxi drop-off points will be included, and the ground itself will meet the latest accessibility standards, ensuring a far better experience than the current ground.
This proposal keeps the ground within the town centre boundary and within walking distance of shops and bars—unlike many new ground developments. We already work closely with local businesses; for example, local pub Off the Tap supplies our in-ground bars. We’ll continue to prioritise local suppliers and create joint offers to encourage fans to stay and spend in the town before and after games.
The new ground will have its own separate access, so it won’t rely on car parking at the front of Braywick, with supporters encouraged to utilise the Vicus Way car park instead. We’ll work closely with partners to avoid major scheduling clashes, but with dedicated access, we don’t anticipate significant logistical issues even if events overlap.
Although this is often a concern with many ground relocations, the proposed site will still be within a 15-minute (0.7-mile) walk from Maidenhead Railway Station. Compared to other clubs in our division, Maidenhead United will still be based closer to the nearest railway station than the majority of our league opponents, where distances from station to ground can surpass two miles in some instances.
Yes. By relocating extended community and training facilities elsewhere, we’ve reduced the footprint to address concerns about the original proposal. This design still delivers everything we need from a new ground.
Not a penny of public money is being spent on this project. In fact, the council will receive funds and see other town facilities improved as part of the development.
Environmental & Planning Concerns
Agreeing to release the land does not mean planning permission is granted. Detailed plans will be reviewed by planning officers and councillors, with full public consultation before any decision is made. We would expect any agreed consent would contain required environmental commitments which would have to be met for the scheme to go ahead.
No. We’re committed to a net positive environmental impact. We’re exploring ways to enhance biodiversity and provide shared facilities—like toilets and lockers—for all park users. We will also be engaging with local experts, park users and other stakeholders. to ensure that we are sensitive to the environmental impact. This is not only to minimise impact, but also enhance the natural environment in the area
The site sits within the AL12 designation under the Borough Local Plan, and is described as a “mixed use Strategic Green Infrastructure site to serve Maidenhead, providing a sports hub, a public park, a special needs school and multi-use games area, a 'wildlife zone' comprising the Braywick Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.” This differs Braywick from other Greenbelt sites.
No. The council retains full control of all surrounding land.
The site is near a water treatment plant and recycling centre, and yes, it’s a former landfill. But building on such sites is common, and modern construction methods make it safe and practical. Any issues will be fully addressed during design and planning.
Community Facilities & Housing
We’ve adapted the plan to reduce the footprint and minimise traffic. As a result, community and training facilities will be built elsewhere. The land deal will fund these, and they remain a key part of our future plans.
We haven’t finalised a location yet, although the intended use as a community facility means its location is more flexible and does not need to be within the town centre . When we do, we’ll consult widely and follow the same rigorous planning process as with the ground.
That decision lies with developers and planners and we are not putting forward the scheme for York Road. The Royal Borough is working on a new Borough Local Plan. Given the increased requirements for housing under central government guidelines, the new BLP requires up to 20,000 new homes by 2045, and York Road is a prime brownfield site in the town centre which would help meet that need.
York Road will be redeveloped, but like any town project, it will be subject to commercial viability and strict national and local planning rules. Nothing will happen without proper oversight.
Trust & Community Engagement
We did listen, and our revised plans reflect that. We’re committed to working in partnership with the whole community—including those who don’t attend matches. This is a two-way conversation, and we’re here for it.
Maidenhead United is a true community club, not a Premier League giant. We run programmes for all ages, including junior sports camps, walking football, social walks, chair exercise classes, and loneliness support. A new ground will allow these initiatives to grow and benefit more people. This is about community, not big money.
