Newsletter CHRISTMAS
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Don’t forget (p.12) 10th January: special meeting about Holywell Mead and The Rye. THE 14th January: Roman Wycombe. HIGH WYCOMBE SOCIETY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS newsletter CHRISTMAS NUMBER 134 WINTER 2004/2005 Handy Cross As reported elsewhere in this Newsletter, a public inquiry was held from 30th November to 2nd December into objections to the Highways Agency’s proposals for modifications to Junction 4 of the M40 (Handy Cross). The objections submitted had been primarily those of the landlord and tenant farmer with an interest in the agricultural land to be given up for the construction of additional slip roads to ease congestion at this large roundabout-configured junction. However, Transport Group member Chris Wallis had submitted an alternative scheme for access across the junction by non- motorised users (NMUs) – meaning cyclists and pedestrians. The Wallis proposal, endorsed by the Transport Group and the Society, envisaged a safer route, using two dedicated subways and a “hung over” footbridge for NMUs, and was classified by the Highways Agency as an objection to their own plans, which involve repeated traversing of the main vehicular carriageways by NMUs at traffic-light controlled crossings: a somewhat “cheap and cheerful” set of plans. So that is how Elsa Woodward, Chris Wallis and Chris Woodman came to be examined on their plans, before the Government Inspector on the final day of the Inquiry. Their presentation was well organised and professionally conducted. As a public gallery witness, I can confidently state that the team deserve our thanks and congratulations on their extensive preparation for explaining Chris Wallis’ inspired scheme, and their drawing upon the Government efforts to persuade UK citizens to take more exercise on foot and by cycling, for leisure and commuting. The team were forthright in asserting that they were not objecting, on behalf of our Society, in any way, against the main purpose of the junction modifications, nor would they welcome any further delay to implementing the Highways Agency plans. We now await the Inspector’s report, to be published during the first quarter of 2005. Roger Lawson …caring about our town: past, present and future Registered Charity No. 257897 Honorary Secretary: Frances Presland, 61 Hicks Farm Rise, High Wycombe, Bucks. HP13 7SX. Tel: (01494) 523263 THE HIGH WYCOMBE SOCIETY 2 NEWSLETTER WINTER 2004/2005 Planning This Quarter In the last Newsletter I referred to the lull before the storm. Well, I can now report that it has well and truly broken. From the middle of October to the end of November, Planning Group members will have attended some 20 meetings covering a variety of subjects, some of which I will try and cover here. Backland and Infill Development Chris the High Street. It would be wrong to build a Woodman and Trevor Carter represented the new inflexible building now in Bridge Street. Society at a meeting arranged by the District b. There should be planning obligations to Council on 14th October. It was well attended enable appropriate works to be undertaken once by some 100 people, including District and the A40 was moved and the River Wye could be County Councillors and the Leader of the District opened up. Council. Trevor reports that after a shaky start. the meeting split into groups of 8–10 c. The Society’s members had been participants. Penelope Tollitt, Head of Urban unanimous in disliking the proposed elevations Design at WDC, drew out the key issues in the and vertical features which were reminiscent of discussions, including: Eastern Europe in the 1950s and would not fit into the Wycombe street scene. The a) Increased Traffic (Noise, Congestion, Development Control Committee should express Pollution) a clear view now to ensure that when the b) Invasion of Privacy (Overlooking, Reduced developer put forward elevations for approval as Security for those on the Access Road) “reserved matters”, they were satisfactory. c) Overload of Services / Infrastructure d. The Society made representation for an increase in Open Spaces especially for people d) Quality of Life shopping to sit and relax and socialise, including e) Loss of Trees and Wildlife Habitat greater application of foliage and trees. All data amassed during the meeting was I am pleased to report that the Committee assessed and discussed at a further meeting on echoed many of our comments in debate, and a the 30th November, which Trevor attended while request was made to Officers and Benoy to Chris was busy with the Handy Cross Inquiry. review the elevations and vertical features of Local Development Framework The second their design within reserved matters. stage of consultation has now commenced with BCUC/TESCO An excellent presentation was the publication by Wycombe District Council of given by Mr Martin Briggs, a Director of the Information Pack ‘Imagine the Future – Part Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College 2’. The group was represented at two briefing (BCUC), to members of the Executive Committee meetings and two workshops covering and Planning and Transport Groups on their (a) Economy, Urban Capacity and Open Spaces plans to move to a new site (BroomWade) not far and (b) Retail/Town Centre Uses Study and High from Hughenden Road. This was followed by an Wycombe Town Master Plan. Subsequently the exhibition in the Octagon jointly by Tesco and Planning Group went through the Consultation BCUC. We have also received a proposal from Document in detail (see p.3) and submitted Tesco and BCUC jointly to present their plans to comments by the deadline of 6th December. We all members of the Society early in the New drew our affiliated associations’ attention to the Year. We look forward to this and will announce document by email in October and advised them the date as soon as possible. (See p.8.) to reply direct to the Council by the deadline. Millfield Farm, Four Ashes Road, Hughenden Town Centre Development Stannifer/Benoy This is an ongoing saga with applications to vary presented their updated planning application to conditions imposed following a public inquiry Wycombe District Council Development Control into matters relating to a proposed manège. Committee on the 15th September. Taking his The Society is supporting Hughenden and lead from the Society’s special meeting on Brands Hill Avenue residents in their objections. 9th September which was addressed by Guildmaster This site in Desborough Road is Stannifer and their architects, Benoy, Chris the subject of a new Planning Application. The Woodman presented the Society’s comments as Society will be making representations shortly to follows: the WDC Development Control Committee, in a. Concern still remained regarding the conjunction with Isaac Lord’s. positioning of the Bus Station in Bridge Street. Other applications in the offing include the Once Tesco had moved and Abbey Way was Bucks Free Press Site in Gomm Road, a down as envisaged in the Master Plan, a site backland/infill application in Kingsmead Road near the existing college would be far more and several applications concerning Wycombe suitable, serving also the old town centre and www.highwycombesociety.org.uk 3 NEWSLETTER WINTER 2004/2005 Wanderers Football Club. We shall also attend seems excessive, and reports to the several appeals. Development Control Committee have not always been timely and comprehensive. We are Finally the group have become concerned about in communication with the District Council on how the District Council has to meet the these issues. Government’s targets for turning around planning applications. Use of delegated powers Tony Fooks Imagining the Future OUT GO Local Plans, and in come the Wycombe Community Plan and the Wycombe Development Framework. Over the past six months and more, our District Council has been comprehensively briefing and consulting on these two documents. They are required to do this by the Local Government Act 2000 and the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 but all the evidence we have been able to glean from our friends in ANTAS (the Association of North Thames Amenity Societies) suggests that Wycombe District are way out ahead of the pack in the way they are involving the local community. Already, the series of meetings that the Society’s representatives have attended is becoming a bit of a blur! The Council’s current case for one greenfield comprehensive consultation site (Park Mill Farm at document shows that the Princes Risborough or first of these two Terriers Farm) to be documents, the Community released after 2011. Plan, will have a huge compass, responding to the The consultation docu- 2000 Act which requires ment also refers to the local authorities to improve “High Wycombe the “economic, social and Masterplan Vision”, environmental wellbeing” of which includes “redis- their areas. The emerging covering the River Wye” “themes” for the Plan deal and “diversion of with issues like safety through traffic to (crime), social equality and enable elevated sec- the economic prosperity of tions of Abbey Way to the district, as well as the be removed and new quality of our environment. public spaces to be The vision is that “by 2026 created”. On the left Wycombe District will be we reproduce a plan economically strong and a which shows how the good place to live, work and A40 might be diverted visit.” This may sound like Extract from map in the Consultation Document. to run from the Marlow motherhood and apple pie, The square dots show “line of possible improved Hill roundabout via but it has been thoroughly routes/new roads.” The circles are “line of existing Queen Alexandra Road, debated. A consultation routes for possible removal/reduction of traffic and the edge of the meeting roundly rejected an ‘reclaiming of streets’”. gasworks site, earlier draft which spoke of Wycombe being a Desborough Road and Bridge Street to the point on the Aylesbury-Thames Valley corridor junction of Oxford Road and Bellfield Road.