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Planning Group news
HOT NEWS…
GOVERNMENT DECISION ON A REGIONALLY-IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT WEST OF STEVENAGE.
A Development Consortium's proposals for either 5,000, or 3,600 new houses with associated infrastructure, west of Stevenage were put forward in 2002 - all located in the Green Belt and the North Chilterns.
The Chiltern Society joined the opposition from North Herts District Council, Hertfordshire County Council, the CPRE and other local bodies. A Public Inquiry in 2004 lasted 8 months. We made a substantial financial contribution towards a specialist barrister's costs, as we considered this a "landmark issue" threatening the validity of government green belt policy and the future of the North Chilterns countryside.
On 22nd December 2009 The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government copied us with a statement confirming the Inspector's decision to refuse the proposal for 5,000 homes, but agreed the 3,600 homes as set out in The Consortium's unilateral application. This is subject to extensive conditions – in all 47 clauses. It can only be challenged on legal grounds, in the High Court.
North Herts Council have told us they are not convinced of The Consortium's ability to carry out a satisfactory development and particularly provision of the necessary infrastructure. Council's barrister has been asked to advise if there are legal grounds on which they could appeal. The Council's Cabinet will make a decision by the end of January and The Chiltern Society will be kept informed.
We are aware that the East of England Strategy Plan 2001-2021 calls for 18,000 new homes in and around Stevenage.
Regional Reports – January 2010
Use this list to jump to the corresponding report on this page:
Aylesbury Vale and North Chilterns
Chiltern District
Herts
South Bucks
South Oxon
Wycombe
Aylesbury Vale and North Chilterns
Aylesbury Vale
Generally. Little activity recorded over the last few months and not much of any significance, mostly house extensions and the like.
Aston Clinton. Since January we have objected to three applications for multi residential redevelopment on grounds of density and contravention of AVDC policies.
Ivinghoe. The saga of the proposed mooring basin at Ivinghoe Marina continues with a second planning application, to which we have objected, for an extra 70 berths in addition to the original 100 berths, which have outline approval. Being monitored.
Marsworth. We attended a public meeting to see revised proposals for less houses and an improved layout for the redevelopment of the British Waterways yard at the junction of the Grand Union and Aylesbury Arm canals. A new application is yet to be lodged – the first having been refused.
Pitstone Quarries. Bucks CC have decided that a decision must be made at their July meeting on the outstanding planning application for the infilling of Quarry 2 plus an on-site recycling operation. The applicants, Clarks, have not responded on the installation of a satisfactory clay liner required to protect the aquifer and the pollution concerns raised by the Environment Agency. The CCB have strongly backed the CS objections and sent a letter supporting these to ADAS & BCC. It is likely BCC will recommend refusal of both unresolved applications.
L D F - Proposed Core Strategy for Aylesbury Vale . AVDC’s Core Strategy document went to the Secretary of State at the end of October 2009. Following the Public Examination in February & March 2010, the Inspector has issued an interim report in the light of the Government’s intention to abolish Regional Strategies, the release of PPS3 and his findings on the proposed Aylesbury Growth Arc. He is seeking views of the Council and Respondents to the Core Strategy by July 2nd on these three issues and their likely effect on the future of the Core Strategy.
North Chilterns
East of England Strategy Plan >2031. EERA’s draft plan was due for publication in March 2010, but we have heard nothing further since we submitted our comments on their consultation document.
Stevenage. Following the Secretary of State’s decision to grant permission for the construction of 3,600 homes, subject to conditions on land at Stevenage west of the A1(M), which we have vigorously opposed, we have learnt that Herts CC and North Herts DC have issued a legal challenge against this. Awaiting resolution in the Courts.
SNAP, the joint study group of Stevenage BC and North Herts DC to implement expansion of Stevenage into North Herts district, has ceased operating due to the Government’s declared intention to scrap all Regional Spatial Studies. We declined an invitation to join a group opposing SNAP’s proposals as this was outside the CS area.
North West Dunstable We have sought a refusal from Central Beds Council to the planning application for 650 homes and associated infrastructure just beyond the present Dunstable town boundary and overlooking Maiden Bower, a scheduled Ancient Monument. Decision awaited.
Housing developments East of Luton
We have objected to a planning application made to North Herts DC by Bloor Homes for 1,000 houses on 63 acres of green belt and high landscape value land bordering on the Lilley Valley. There is strong local opposition to this proposal. Decision awaited.
No further action on the proposal by Luton BC and Central Beds Council, for the construction of 5,500 homes in Hertfordshire on land of high landscape value, in the green belt and adjacent to the AONB. It is unlikely to proceed, but still subject to ratification by the joint committee. It is also assumed the Luton eastern by-pass, will not now proceed.
Bushwood Development Proposal, Luton Appears no further progress on the plans for this comprehensive development of green belt and farm land west of Luton and the M1 between Caddington and Slip End and close to part of the AONB.
Chiltern District
The number of planning applications throughout the district remains comparatively low and confined to minor individual changes about which it is not generally appropriate to comment. In this respect Chalfont St Peter is an exception and two major developments are under discussion. These are the Grange site where a detailed letter has been sent supporting the widespread opinion that the southern portion of the site should be used for much needed housing development but that the northern and higher portion occupied by the former Convent school buildings should be utilised by the crowded local school and this school site used for housing development instead.
This would have the advantage of preserving the most sensitive area of the site while improving facilities for the local school. Whether this is possible in the present financial climate is uncertain however desirable. The other development under review is the Newland Park site of the former now empty University Campus. The original proposal with which we were heavily involved because of the location next to COAM were subject to change. However the district planning officials rightly objected strongly and a return to the original detailed proposal has largely been achieved. As a result of this much needed housing development is likely to go ahead and will secure an improvement over the often scruffy University occupation with little impact on traffic and local facilities.
In Chalfont St Giles the newly completed affordable housing erected by Paradigme has been accepted in the village in spite of changes brought about by the withdrawal of the Rural Housing Trust brought about by financial difficulties.. The town houses on the site are subject to joint ownership as they were priced at £350,000. In Hill Farm Lane a site which has been used for vehicle maintenance and repair and has been subject to repeated applications for conversion to industrial uses which have been refused has now been subject to a small housing development a qualified letter of approval has been submitted. This is much more suitable on what is largely a rural location.
In Chartridge at Bloomfield Cottages a proposal for a small development of affordable housing has been submitted by Paridigme Housing which is supported by the parish council. The viciferous purchasers of the nearbt former council houses have created a great fuss as they did several years ago when this was first under discussion when they pressed for a tree preservation order on the land involved. This has always been scheduled for development since council houses were first built. Merrin Molesworth asked me to look into it due to her then existing conflict of interest. I did so and support this order however I discovered the residents of the council housing were using this precious copse as a rubbish dump. The Rights of Way Group have this time commented quite rightly on protecting the trees however both Merrin, myself and Charles Firth feel that if we commented it should be in favour of the proposal and therefore we should not submit any letter because of the desperate need for affordable housing and the fact that this land has long been scheduled for council housing development.
In Chesham Bois the construction of flats on the corner of Clifton Road will not be supported by the council. The retention of the 30mph speed limit on the Chesham road was supported by the proposal ti give Barn Meadow village Green status in Old Amersham. In Chesham the Travel Lodge Hotel application which was granted on appeal against the District councils wishes has now collapsed due to Travel Lodges financial difficulties. This has been replaced by a plan for a new church hall and flats with a small underground car park. This is much less contentious, smaller than and without potential parking problems of the hotel application but leaves the provision of hotel accommodation in the district a problem.
Cheryl Gillan who is now in the Cabinet has stated that in her view if HS2 goes ahead a route outside the AONB will be chosen. However we have to maintain our opposition to the outrageous preferred route at the highest level possible.
Herts
Personnel
There are six of us, meeting at 2-monthly intervals. A new member, Colin Clarke, has offered his services which will be useful for applications involving Hemel Hempstead.
Planning Applications
1. 22 new applications have been discussed since last January.
2. They were all minor developments on non-greenfield sites ie extensions, conversions, demolitions. The largest was for four dwellings.
3. Dacorum have published the responses to the latest Core Strategy consultation. There was a strong negative response from Berkhamsted.
4. The East of England Regional Assembly dissolved itself on 31 March 2010.
South Bucks
There is, as all the time recently, little to report from South Bucks. Nearly all the planning requests are for extensions to individual properties, requests for electronically-locked gates and the like. Every now and then there is a “two for one” request – two houses to be built on the curtilage of the one original.
The one major potential development outstanding is the Pinewood “village” of 1500-2000 houses plus various cinematograph features. The Society opposed this (as did many individuals) when it was originally put forward and the District planning committee refused permission last autumn. Pinewood eventually appealed (just within the six months they are allowed); the appeal has been registered but the date not yet set. It will be a formal hearing by an Inspector at the earliest in the autumn and possibly not till next year. The would-be “village” would be on Green Belt land, though not actually in the Chiltern AONB.
We await a decision on the route – if any – of the proposed High Speed train line with interest. If there is to be a stop at Heathrow it would be almost certain to go through South Bucks no matter what route is eventually chosen. The initial published route goes to the north of Denham before entering the AONB. There would be a great deal of noise and mess during construction and possibly during operation but this would be the case no matter what.
South Oxfordshire
Changes in Planning Policy.
News of the new Government’s plans for a fresh round of reforms of the planning system have been trickling through to the SODC (as also reported by Mike Chadwick).
i. Abolition of Regional Strategies (that is, including the SE Plan) On 27 May 2010 Mr Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, wrote to Council leaders highlighting the Government's commitment ‘to rapidly abolish Regional Strategies and return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils‘. However, in a statement of 10 June telling planning Inspectors how to act,his Ministry admitted that ‘The means by which RS (Regional Strategies) abolition will occur have yet to be set out in detail.’ And ‘Until a formal announcement is made and/or legislation implemented, there is no change to what constitutes the development plan.’ Having been bitten many times by the Law of Unintended Consequences officials are wary of allowing their Ministers to act too hastily.
Meanwhile preparation of the District Council’s core strategy, an activity which seems to be indefinitely postponable (assuming that there is a 5-year supply of sites available for development) has been suspended.
ii. Garden grabbing
The Government also set out its policy on garden grabbing on 10 June. The Minister for Decentralisation, Mr Greg Clark, stated that ‘There is no presumption that land that is previous-developed (sic) is necessarily suitable for housing development nor that the whole of the curtilage shouid be developed.’ He also announced that ‘We are also removing the requirement upon local authorities to have regard to the national minimum density for housing set out in …PPS 3. This policy has resulted in local authorities not having enough flexibility to set density ranges that suit the local needs in their areas - particularly for family houses.’ In the past, South Oxfordshire has anyway acted cautiously in this area of developments in large gardens
Planning Applications
Most planning applications continue to be for alterations to existing premises. Only the following are worthy of note.
Nuffield Place
It was proposed to build a large care home in the grounds of Nuffield Place, once the home of Lord Nuffield. The site is owned by Oxford University who wish to sell it , but the Friends of Nuffield Place who have been running the house as a public attraction had hoped that they could interest the University in exploiting the land but leaving the house in trust. While sympathetic to their motives we questioned whether it was appropriate to build a care home on an inaccessible site in the middle of the countryside. The application has now been withdrawn and the future of the site is uncertain.
Horseyculture
A proposal to build extensive equestrian facilities on the edge of the small village of Bix was opposed by us and permission was refused. The applicant has appealed but in the meantime has divided up the field with fences and erected several horse ‘shelters’. We have informed the Planning Officer of this undoubted change of use.
Other examples of the sub-division of land for the keeping of horses are also under scrutiny. While the Local Plan classes grazing of horses with agriculture, the erection of any building or use of an existing building for this purpose requires permission. Fences are a grey area.
Chinnor Cement Works
The proposal to develop the Chinnor Cement Works site continues to be the subject of discussions between the developers and Planning Officers.
Wycombe
1. Personnel
No change, so although a watching brief is kept in all parts of the District, we remain seriously in need of reinforcement.
2. Wycombe LDF and other policy matters
A further round of consultation on some items within the Delivery and Site Allocations DPD has just begun, most significantly the plans for the Abbey Barn South / Daws Hill major housing site. The timetable for submission of the final document has now been pushed back to the autumn [but will the Development Plan procedures have been changed by then?].
We submitted comments to WDC’s Interim Policy Statement on Gypsy and Traveller Sites, which ultimately identified 3 new sites, one of which was subsequently overturned by a Cabinet decision, and one which had been introduced AFTER the consultation period! The IPS was issued partly as a response to the prolonged illegal encampment at Hemley Hill in the AONB and Green Belt. Our comments focused on whether it was actually necessary for such a rushed policy change, and suggested it could wait until a more thorough review after the regional targets picture became clearer. The Hemley Hill enforcement appeal hearing is to be held in mid-July.
The Local Development Order removing some planning restrictions in High Wycombe town centre should come into force about now.
Together with the High Wycombe Society we had a private meeting with the Leader of Council and Head of Planning about WDC’s intentions regarding a new “Community Stadium” for Wasps and WWFC. There still seems to be a determination to proceed, and a dedicated Officer has now been appointed to progress the changes to the Core Strategy that will be required. Formal consultation is scheduled for September, but we have been offered an early meeting with the Officer.
The work to address capacity issues at Princes Risborough sewage plant is virtually complete, and the bar to occupation of new houses has been lifted. This potentially may signal a revival/increase in applications for new homes.
Hughenden Parish Council has for some time been investigating possible rural exception sites for affordable housing. One such site thought suitable by the PC is located in the Green Belt off Warrendene Road. The alleged secrecy surrounding the site search process has caused a great deal of ill feeling between residents and the PC. This has resulted in the launch of a new parish wide housing needs survey including a comprehensive site search. We are monitoring the situation.
3. Planning applications
Updating earlier cases:
mixed residential / business scheme at former De La Rue site, adjoining Hughenden Park: was dismissed at appeal (on grounds of design / impact on the Park).
new ground for Marlow Town Football Club in Green Belt within Little Marlow Gravel Pits area, plus linked application for housing on old ground. Both dismissed on appeal.
regional coachway / park-and-ride, plus associated business and hotel development on Sports Centre site, near M40 J4. This application was approved, but the linked relocation of the running track to school playing fields at Hazlemere was, in the face of strong objections from the local councillors and a very vociferous residents’ association, turned down by WDC Planning Committee after what has been described as ‘a lively and rather undisciplined meeting (despite the chairman’s best efforts)’. Ironically, a re-design then allowed retention of the running track on-site, at least on an interim basis, but now the whole project is under review as part of central government’s budgets cuts.
illegal travellers’ encampment in the AONB at Hemley Hill, Saunderton. See above.
High Wycombe Railway Station: redevelopment to create bus interchange, increased car-parking, and retail, involving the restoration of the original Brunel station building (which is listed). Work due to start shortly.
housing on former pub site in Flackwell Heath – now proceeding on-site.
agricultural site in Bourne End where a landowner has set up what appears to be a storage and distribution business including two large new buildings and access road for container lorries from a residential road, without planning permission. Enforcement action continues, and retrospective applications submitted.
Proposed woodland centre and live-work unit on redundant farm buildings at Great Hampden, involving innovative timber-based design: was refused by a tiny margin at Committee after advice that it was in technical breach of Green Belt policy.
Bourne End: Tesco shop in Bourne End on land currently zoned for residential. Still unresolved.
new houses in extensive grounds of existing house in Hedsor. Still under consideration.
an industrial-type “fieldgate” in Turville. Refused.
a cattle shelter in Hedsor considered to have an unnecessarily damaging visual impact. Refused.
former Molin Sports Field, Monks Risborough. The proposed CPO to convert it to a public park appears to have reached deadlock owing to restrictions on council funding, and the apparent desire of the owners to hold on to it as a long term investment for possible housing.
an infill development at Princes Risborough, to which we had objected. Was due to come to Committee in mid-June, but has been deferred to allow consideration of the new government’s pronouncements on garden developments and density requirements.
still under consideration is a replacement dwelling in the AONB outside Frieth, of innovative and “green” design as well as reduced visual impact compared with the existing.
Amongst new applications where we have objected or suggested revisions:
new dwelling in Green Belt / AONB in a sizeable gap between ribbons of development in Wheeler End – applicant pinning hopes on weight being given to an unimplemented permission from 1954, prior to Green Belt extension. Refused.
a replacement garage incorporating studio accommodation within a rural Conservation Area in Lane End – considered to have a significant adverse visual impact. Still under consideration.
an application by Wycombe District Council for a link-road through the the Compair part of the High Wycombe Hughenden Quarter development site, intended to facilitate proposals for the land alongside it. The work includes welcome enhancements to the Hughenden Stream; however, the Council’s previously-stated aspiration for relieving traffic impacts on residential Hughenden Road has been dropped with both the new and existing routes to be through-routes. We commented during pre-application, but chose not to submit formal comments.
4. Pre-application involvement
a hotel proposal behind Sainsbury’s in High Wycombe Town centre
the relocation of the Garsington opera festival to the Wormsley Estate at Stokenchurch from 2011.
5. Other events and activities
I have attended the WDC Annual Planning Forum and WDC Rural Forum (6-monthly) on behalf of Team, plus SEFS bi-annual meeting on behalf of whole Society.
John Harris has attended a briefing session on the revised proposals for Abbey Barn South / Daws Hill.
Mike Chadwick
