Gerrards Cross Green Belt at Risk of Development!
This article is taken from ‘The Voice‘ February edition:
Act now to stop it happening!
South Bucks and Chiltern District Councils join forces to propose Green Belt sites for development. Consultation for new
Local Plans for 2015 – 2036 identifies several Green Belt spaces in GX for potential development. The Town Council want
everyone to help protect them before it’s too late – March 14th!
New Central Government development quotas plan to increase the rate of house building in our neighbourhood three fold over the next 20 years compared to the preceding two decades, putting our towns and Green Belt under enormous pressure. That’s an increase of over 15,100 new dwellings in the South Bucks and Chiltern Districts, equivalent to around five towns the size of Gerrards Cross!
District Council representatives suggest that the two Districts are jointly developing their Local Plans to combat Slough expanding northwards, but in doing so they have put forward Green Belt spaces equivalent to more than three times the areas needed to meet maximum development quotas. Their joint consultation document indicates that they have also included Green Belt spaces that are contrary to the recommendations of their own expert planning consultants Arups. See www.southbucks.gov.uk/planning/localplan2014-2036 for details.
Green Belt Parcel 47b (part thereof) – This full parcel covers an area west of Gerrards Cross between the A40, Bull Lane, the railway line and the A355. Only the area west of Beaconsfield Golf Club is recommended by Arups for potential release, but the Districts have brought the area immediately west of Bull Lane into consideration which is specifically not recommended for further consideration by Arups.- Green Belt Parcel 57b (for employment) – This parcel is northeast of the A413 encompassing space used by Gerrards Cross Golf and Cricket Clubs, Chalfont Park, and alongside the River Misbourne down to the Chiltern Railway Line, extending Chalfont Park Business Centre. It is also not recommended for further consideration by Arups.
- Green Belt Parcel 65a – This parcel covers the area between the M25, A40 Oxford Road and the A413 Amersham Road. This is the only space recommended for further consideration by Arups, but is largely built already, for example it includes the SBDC Capswood offices.
- Green Belt Parcel 69 – This parcel covers that area between Fulmer Drive and the M40 that is not already used for housing. This parcel is also not recommended for further consideration by Arups.
Whilst District Councillors emphasise that these spaces are only options, we need to make sure that they understand the reasons and strength of feeling behind why none of them should be lost from our Green Belt.
The public consultation started on 19th January and runs through until 5pm on 14th March when all representations must be registered with SBDC. Documentation and evidence, as well as a Response Form, have been published on the SBDC website.
Our town must decide if it wants and where it wants development to go as well as what type of development it wants. We need proper consideration of the issues across the entire district as well as developments in Gerrards Cross. Gerrards Cross
Town Council do not expect the apportionment across the district to be balanced or fair, but we must all do our best to protect the Green Belt as much as is possible and lessen the impact of essential development.
The Town Council have arranged a public meeting on Thursday 25th February at 7.30pm at the Colston Hall, 8 East Common, Gerrards Cross SL9 7AD. South Bucks District Council will be there explain their selection of Green Belt spaces in the consultation and to answer our questions. Councillors Ralph Bagge (Leader) and Nick Naylor (Deputy Leader) will be available. The Town Council will publish more information on its website, and will consult residents before submitting a response.
Please help protect our Green Belt – submit your feedback as soon as possible.