Crown Estate seeks to take back control of park

The Crown Estate wants to take back the management of a park and car parks in the shadow of Windsor Castle, which have been run by a council for more than 80 years.

Home Park in Windsor, along with two car parks, is managed by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) but the authority has said it cannot afford to improve them.

The Crown Estate said it was unhappy with the way the park has been maintained and would "transform to enhance the experience" of users through investment.

RBWM said it would receive £600,000 from the Crown Estate if it relinquishes control in an effort to soften the blow of losing fees from the car parks, despite the commercial entity owing it no compensation.

The Crown Estate is run as an independent business but belongs to the monarch for the duration of their reign, with a £15bn portfolio of property across England, including London's West End.

It said the park, which was first grassed over for recreation with Queen Victoria's permission, is an "integral part" of the Windsor Estate and cannot be sold.

The park's sports pitches are "bone dry in the summer" and often "waterlogged" in the winter, it said, adding that it would start a "proactive programme of professional groundworks" once it assumes control.

The estate said "through investment, consulting with the various user groups and RBWM, we can create a space that serves the community".

Councillors will be asked to approve the plan to hand back the park, which has been controlled by the council since 1939, and the King Edward VII and Romney Lock car parks next week.

That would then mean the sites, used by anglers, archers, athletes, cricketers, footballers and rugby and tennis players, are returned to the Crown Estate on 1 April.

Alternatively, councillors could chose to spend £3.5m on improving the park's facilities.

RBWM officers said that option was "not financially or operationally viable" because of the authority's financial constraints.