Did you miss the Public Planning Consultation on Saturday 23rd March 2013, in the Walter Rose Room?
The development company Lands Improvement and its planning agents were invited by the Parish Council to present proposals for residential development at Thame Road – but more importantly, also to seek public feedback on much more significant developments that are likely to extend the current housing footprint of the village. (In draft Aylesbury Vale plans, Haddenham has been earmarked to accommodate 100 new homes).
For those who were unable to attend the exhibition or knew nothing about it, the display boards are reproduced on this page (click on each one to enlarge).
Most of these boards refer to a modest housing development off Thame Road (opposite Browns.) If approved, this residential development will displace a previous plan to build offices or light industrial units on that site. It is proposed that the industrial units will now be built at the north-eastern corner of the Business Park, where they will straddle the entrance to the airfield and embrace the Upward Bound Trust's glider hanger.
Local residents might be most interested in Display Board 1. This lays out the likely areas for development being mooted to accommodate 100 or so new homes, in accordance with draft Aylesbury Vale intentions. The potential areas for development are those highlighted in orange. Area 1 = North of Dollicot. Area 2 = East of Stanbridge Road. Area 3 = Glebe land, south-east of Willis Road. Area 4 = Land to Thame (West) side of Railway. Area 5 = North-West of Business Park, bordering airfield.
Your web editor understands that the development company Lands Improvement own all the land that includes the airfield, out as far as the A418. Display Board 2 suggests that land in this area represents "potential for residential expansion to meet Haddenham's needs." Local residents may wish to reflect on the term Haddenham's needs and consider their own views.
At the public exhibition on Saturday, the development company Lands Improvement sought written comments and feedback from local residents with regard to some key development questions. Given the poor weather conditions, footfall through the exhibition was relatively modest. But through the miracle of modern technology, you still have a chance to submit your views and opinions. The feedback form can be downloaded from this page – see the PDF below the photographs. The closing date is Wednesday 3rd April 2013, but if you want to contribute your views, do it now (you know you'll forget otherwise!) You can email your completed form as a scanned attachment to rlinnell@savills.com
Or, using good old snail mail, to:
Savills Planning
Wytham Court
11 West Way
Oxford
OX2 0QL
If a residents' feedback exercise like this strikes you as a little ad hoc and potentially unrepresentative, you may be interested to know that Haddenham Village Society advocates the creation and publication of a Neighbourhood Plan: see the Village Society Website. This is a statutory instrument that is created through a highly structured and consultative process, taking into account the views and preferences of all adult residents and representatives of young people in the village. The final stage would be a local referendum. Thus, local housing development would then be shaped by the consensus view of current residents, as laid down in the Neighbourhood Plan.
The development of a Neighbourhood Plan is a major undertaking, and has significant cost implications (although grants are available, apparently). It therefore follows that the Parish Council needs to evaluate the pros and cons of going down this route before making a commitment to do so. Ultimately, it is Haddenham Parish Council's decision to proceed (or otherwise) with the creation of such a Plan. If you have a view on this matter, you may wish to share it with your Parish Councillors. David Truesdale, the chairman of Haddenham PC's planning committee, is a very intelligent and approachable chap. His email address is: david.truesdale@chg.org.uk
Health Warning: This article represents the understanding of your website editor (him what writ it!) If there are any factual errors, he will be pleased to correct them. Please email: haddenham.net@hotmail.com
