Crown Estate to take on running of town park

The Crown Estate will take over the management of a park in the shadow of Windsor Castle after "decades of neglect" so residents can continue to enjoy it.

Home Park has been managed by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) for more than 80 years.

But the Crown Estate is unhappy with how it has been managed and the council said it cannot afford to invest to improve it.

RBWM's cabinet agreed to terminate licences on the park and the King Edward VII and Romney Lock car parks and will hand them back to the Crown Estate on 1 April.

The park is used by several sports clubs, including Datchet Cricket Club, Windsor Rugby Club and the Windsor Forest Bowmen archery club.

But many have raised concerns about the quality of maintenance and investment there.

Devon Davies, who represents Eton and Castle, which includes the park, said sewage has backed into the cricket and rugby clubs and potholes have been left unrepaired.

"This administration inherits a very difficult financial position but it also has inherited sporting facilities and public grounds that have suffered decades of underinvestment," he said.

"The borough simply does not have resources to reverse decades of neglect."

The council is expected to lose £450,000 in annual revenue, including parking charges, but the Crown Estate will pay a one-off £600,000 to help address the loss.

Paul Sedgwick, the deputy ranger of Windsor Great Park and an executive director of the Crown Estate, said it wants to use the "generational opportunity to create a lasting legacy" for Windsor residents and Home Park's users.