The planning application for the development of glebe land bounded by Aston Road, Stanbridge Road and Willis Road seems to have provoked serious anxieties for some local residents, to the extent that they are posting anonymous pleas through the letter boxes of their fellow residents, encouraging them to object to the proposed development.
Whatever the strength of their arguments, why the need to hide behind anonymity?
It creates the suspicion that the authors of these leaflets are especially concerned with looking after their own particular vested interests rather than expressing genuine concern for the good of the whole village. No doubt the recipients of these anonymous missives will make their own judgement on that score.
One particular argument offered as a first line of objection in the most recent leaflet argues that there has been no public consultation with local residents. Where has the author been for the last few months? There have been several well-publicised and well-attended public consultation events hosted by developers of potential sites for new homes in Haddenham, including that by Lightwood Strategic in respect of the glebe land back in July – see here
There is clearly a huge need for more housing stock in this country. The Neighbourhood Plan team, led very capably by Andrew Fell, has been doing an excellent job consulting with all local residents in order to define a set of criteria by which new housing developments in Haddenham might be assessed. This process has been open and inclusive, and has explored the needs and preferences of all residents in terms of the desired look, shape and infrastructure for the whole village.
It is a great shame that the Neighbourhood Plan has not yet come to complete fruition, as it will ultimately provide a much better framework for guiding the growth of Haddenham, rather than residents resorting to standalone battles over specific development sites, with the vested interests of very local minority groups having the most significant impact.
If you have a strong view about this or any other development issue in Haddenham, please feel free to write to this website and we will do our best to reflect a balanced set of views and opinions. The editor's email address is: haddenham.net@hotmail.com
You can also post your comments directly to the Share & Chat forum.
Or better yet, get involved in the public consultations hosted by the parish council and offer your formal comments, so that HPC can respond with a collective and representative view on behalf of the village when planning applications arise.
In the meantime, you can contribute your feedback on the proposed glebe development (either with positive and supportive comments or to voice concerns) by going to the AVDC planning website, clicking to accept the licence agreement, and then searching on the reference: 14/02666/AOP.
The AVDV planning website can be found here.
The Parish Council has a hard copy of the glebe development plans which will be available for viewing on Saturday 11th October 2014 from 10.00am to 12.00 noon in the Walter Rose Room. Members of the Planning Committee will be available to receive your comments.
The closing date for comments to AVDC is 14th October 2014.
Keith Milmer
Editor, Haddenham.net
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Response:
06Oct14
Dear Editor
I agree that there has been a decent level of public consultation with regards to the proposed developments in Haddenham. I attended one such session on Saturday 27th September and it was useful.
I also agree that hiding behind anonymity is not a very helpful response. Although it is perhaps inevitable given the emotive nature of the subject matter.
However, the plans at Aston Road as recently submitted by Pegasus are very extensive and will have a substantial impact on the village as we know it.
The proposals do need to be carefully scrutinised so we can be comfortable that the proposed development is something which Haddenham can cope with.
As such, there are key questions which need to be answered – for example, how the existing infrastructure (most obviously schools and roads, but there are others) can cope with the number of houses contemplated. I know that many of these points have been considered at length as part of the Neighbourhood Plan and I had understood that the developers were awaiting sight of this plan before submitting their proposals? It is disappointing that they have not.
The consultation is one (important) strand of the village's response, but presumably now the focus shifts to getting answers from those charged with delivering the development?
At a minimum, the village is entitled to expect that all aspects of the development have been taken into account and all requirements (whether legal or otherwise) complied with.
Jon Proctor
Resident of Churchway
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Additional Response:
Not In My Back Yard! .... Or Community service?
For a couple of years now I have been very impressed with Haddenham.Net and have in the past emailed the editor to compliment on the great service and offering the site delivers. It is therefore only balanced to also comment when the editorial seems to be, shall we say, a little inflammatory! Perhaps this was to garner response? .... If so it's been a success.
*Editor: you've seen through my subterfuge!
So a resident of the area has taken it upon themselves to spend their time, money and shoe leather to deliver an A4 notice through residents' doors to highlight the actual submission of, and deadlines associated with, a housing development planning application (not an insignificant one at that!).
Has there been public consultation? Yes... by the developer whose primary objective is?... Profit! This is absolutely fine as any commercial business has to make money, but let us not get distracted here.
Why question someone's motives for wanting to protect the environment and local area from over development especially where the community feel /vibrance/local services and infrastructure can be quickly overwhelmed?
Wake up everyone! So you think Haddenham village is grown up enough to decide its own planning? In which case it's also adult enough to understand that whoever put in the effort to deliver these notices was just vigilantly passing on information, and, I for one, am pleased they did!
The mystery notice deliverer has alerted me to the application and the deadlines. In fact it also alerted me to the fact that Haddenham.Net had been a bit slow off the mark. Apparently the planning notices were placed on the proposed site on the 23rd September and yet the' News' went on Haddenham. Net on the 5th October at 5am, some 12 days later.
*Editor: Actually, we published this on the very next day, 24th September – please see here
Whoever you are, mystery person, you have provided us with the opportunity to lobby. So Haddenhamites whatever your view on the Glebe development you have till the 14th October to respond to AVDC but don't forget to lobby your Parish Councillors and most importantly the District Councillors and even County Councillors who sit on the AVDC and BCC Planning Committees to ensure your view is heard and understood by those who represent you. Miss this deadline and, as they say, "your view won't be counted but may still be charged!"
Russ Fitzgibbon
Resident of Stanbridge Road
