Haven Health Properties Limited (the developer responsible for designing and building the Medical Centre when the Haddenham primary care practice was relocated from Banks Park to Stanbridge road a few years ago) is looking to develop the remaining parcel of land immediately adjacent to the Medical Centre.
The firm's plans are for the construction of eight terraced bungalows (in two blocks) plus a detached building for a new two-seat dental surgery.
The proposed development will occupy the land immediately to the North of the Medical Centre – effectively extending the site along Stanbridge Road, in the direction of Cuddington (see map – please click on any of the images to see a larger view).
The dental surgery would sit closest to the Northern end of the Medical Centre (approximately where the mobile breast scan trailer is normally parked) but there would still be space for further extension of the Medical Centre building, if this is required in the longer term. There is also space to the South of the Medical Centre for this purpose.
Haven Health Director Michael Luckley delivered a very clear and informative presentation to the Patient Participation Group on Thursday 10th April, during which he made a strong case for the proposed development, citing in particular the current dearth of bungalows in Haddenham that are suitable for occupation by individuals and couples of retirement age.
The bungalows will have internal design features that facilitate wheelchair movements, and purchasers buying off plan will be able to specify particular features (such as a 'wet room' style bathroom) to help them cope with any personal mobility issues. They will also only be available for purchase by those aged 55 and over. Two bungalows will be owned by Wycombe-based Paradigm Housing Trust, which will offer them for rental by suitable tenants who are unable to afford to purchase a bungalow for themselves.
If construction is approved, the bungalows will be available in two-bedroom and three-bedroom options, and a detached lockable storage shed is also planned to provide a shared facility for residents in which mobility scooters can be parked and re-charged. (However, PPG members argued that the distance from the front door of the bungalows to this storage facility would make its use impractical and hence redundant for those who need mobility scooters to get around!)
Staff at the Medical Centre have expressed some concerns over the parking provision, and are keen to avoid losing spaces currently allocated to patients and staff.
Mr Luckley explained that the development includes provision for fifteen parking spaces for the bungalows and eleven for the dental practice. Members of the PPG were not convinced that this would be sufficient, but accepted that the biggest potential constraint on parking for the Medical Centre was caused by parents dropping off and collecting children at the infant and junior schools during term time, and the abuse of the car park as a 'Park and Ride' facility by some bus commuters travelling into Oxford or Aylesbury.
The editor of this website understands that the planning committee of Haddenham Parish Council has serious reservations about the development, given that the site is beyond the "village envelope" and that permission for the Medical Centre was only allowed originally because the space would be for medical purposes. The committee is concerned that this would lead to further development on the East (i.e., Aylesbury side) of Stanbridge Road – and this is not an area favoured in the draft Neighbourhood Plan.
Despite potential objections by the Parish Council, it seems likely that the development will be approved by the Aylesbury planning authorities.
