At the end of the Public Enquiry into Gladman Developments application to build 200 houses at Shipton the Planning Inspector promised that she would give her decision by week commencing 29th March. We heard nothing so chased the Planning Inspectorate at Bristol and were advised that 12th April was the new date. Within an hour we had another call to say that 12th April would not be met but no revised date was given. Let’s hope that we will hear by the end of April.
HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH GLADMAN DEVELOPMENTS
Gladman Developments, who’s application to develop Winslow Green was roundly rejected by local residents and planners alike is at it again. This time it’s a proposal to develop 200 dwellings on land between Little Horwood Road and Shipton hamlet. So far as we know this is one of the few pieces of land that they actually own, rather than just have options on, and it may be that they think a development here will help recover some of the vast sums they spent on the Winslow Green application. At the time of writing we are aware that the application has been submitted to AVDC but details have not been received by Winslow Town Council. A public meeting will have to be held in September to allow residents to see the plans and comment on them so we’ll publish details as soon as possible.
It would be wrong to comment on the application at this stage but if you want to see what Winslow Town Council thinks about possible future development in general then go to www.winslowtowncouncil.gov.uk and look at the TC’s response to the AVDC Local Development Framework – Core Strategy consultation. No doubt we will be bearing this in mind when responding to the Gladman application.
WINSLOW GREEN DEVELOPERS GIVE IN!!
In a surprise move the would-be developers of Winslow Green have advised AVDC that they will not be appealing against the decision to refuse planning permission. This is great news for Winslow and the Horwoods but also for all communities in this part of rural North Bucks. However, it does indicate that Gladman Group are likely to pursue a new proposal to develop 250 homes on land between Little Horwood Road and Shipton hamlet. Llew has already expressed concern about this possible development as the land in question in included in the AVDC Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment as being suitable for 1,000 houses. Llew has persuaded the Town Council to hold an Open Day on July 11th when residents can see and comment on all possible development sites. More details on this coming soon.
Possible Housing sites revealed
Aylesbury Vale District Council have posted a report on their website which lists all sites being considered for possible housing development in the coming years. They didn’t bother to tell the Town Council or indeed any of the Parish Councils involved that the report was there so how are people supposed to know about it?
The real shocks are the possibility of 1,000 houses on land between Little Horwood Road and Shipton hamlet and the potential sale of the Sports fields at the Winslow Centre for even more housing. Commenting on the report Llew says, ”Just when we thought we’d seen off Winslow Green and its 3,300 houses we now find we have another massive potential development on our doorstep. As to the Winslow Centre land it’s disgraceful that anyone should even think about selling off sports fields for housing. I would be strongly opposed to any development here and I imagine most residents would feel the same”
The 120 page report covers the whole of the Vale and asseses sites as to how suitable they are for potential development. In our area sites are considered in Padbury, Great Horwood and Winslow but only the latter are included in the detail of the sites listed as ‘suitable for residential development’. It is important to note that no applications have been submitted for these sites as yet but the detail is as follows
|
Reference |
Location | No. of dwellings | Comment |
| 125/002 | South of railway / east of Furze Lane | 240 | Subject to Transport Assessment andprovision of facilities and suitable linksrequired to overcome distance fromtown centre |
| 125/006 | Former Gas board Site Station Road | 5 | Ground conditions require investigation. |
| 125/008 | Land East of Little Horwood Road | 1,000 | Subject to Transport Assessment andprovision of facilities and suitable linksrequired to overcome distance fromtown centre and transport |
| 125/009 |
Glebe Farm, Verney Rd West of Langley Close |
38 | Suitable if facilities provided indevelopment of site 125/001 toovercome distance from town centre |
| 125/011 | Former School playing field west of Winslow Centre | 70 | Suitable if developed in association with Site 125/002. Subject to TransportAssessment |
TO VIEW THE FULL 120 PAGE REPORT FOLLOW THIS LINK.
http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/GetAsset.aspx?id=fAAzADkANgAxAHwAfABGAGEAbABzAGUAfAB8ADAAfAA1
Llew will be raising this issue with the Town Council at the earliest opportunity and will ensure that the residents of Winslow have a proper opportunity to comment.
WINSLOW GREEN -AVDC OFFICERS REPORT RECOMMENDS REFUSAL!
The Officers Report, prepared by senior AVDC Planner Tony Barker, is published today and recommends REFUSAL of the Winslow Green application. Whilst this is what we hoped and expected there is no doubt that there is a great comfort factor in reading the detailed reasons for refusal. This report will go to all members of the AVDC Strategic Planning Committee which will meet at 1.00pm on Wednesday 1st April to consider the application. Members of the public are able to attend the debate which will be held in the Maxwell Hall at the Aylesbury Civic Centre in order to accommodate the numbers expected to attend.
Reasons given for the recommendation of refusal include the following; Conflict with Regional Spatial Strategy, intrusive development into the open countryside onto a Greenfield site, harm to the character and appearance of Winslow, failure to protect and enhance the environment, the adverse impact of the development on the vitality and viability of Winslow as a local shopping centre, traffic impact and inadequate provision of non-car modes of transport. All in all a pretty thorough demolition of the application!
You can read the full report by clicking on the link below but please allow time for it to load as it is 60 pages long!
Shipton Hamlet Conservation Area Review
The public consultaion period for the review of the Shipton Conservation Area closed on Friday 6th and Winslow Town Council joined almost all of the hamlet’s residents in calling for the designation to remain as it is. Originally the Tory Cabinet Member for Planned Development had called for Conservation Area Status to be removed due to changes since the last review in 1990. Liberal Democrat leader on AVDC, Cllr Alan Sherwell, ‘called- in’ the decision and the Environment Scrutiny Committee asked for a range of other options to be considered. A new review offered either ‘de-designation’ or a new reduced conservation area.
Llew suppported local residents at a meeting with AVDC and pointed out that any changes to the Conservation Area have been made with full planning permission given by AVDC so they can hardly say that those changes are responsible for the need to remove the Conservation Area status. Indeed at a time when the area immediately adjacent to Shipton is under threat of major development the District Council should be doing all they can to protect the area rather than making life easier for developers.
Local historian Julian Hunt has slammed the latest report as being ”ill conceived, hurried and thoroughly misinformed” and said that ”Such a flawed document should not form the basis of judgement of the AVDC Councillors who should reject it out of hand” We now await the decsion of the Cabinet Member and hope that common sense will prevail and the whole idea of ‘de-designation” be dropped.
End of Dispersal Order may bring more anti-social behaviour
The Dispersal Order which police have been operating in Winslow since last September expires on 19th March and there is real concern among many residents that disorder and anti-social behaviour levels could return to the levels we experienced last Spring and Summer. The order gives police the power to move on groups of people and has been particularly effective in stopping the mass gatherings of young people in Greyhound Lane Car Park. A side effect inititally was an increase in vandalism in the Churchyard and whilst this may not have been directly related it would have been better if this area had been included in the original dispersal order.
NEW EXTENDED DISPERSAL ORDER?
Following conversations with local police Llew Monger has written to Thames Vally Police and AVDC to support the idea of renewing the dispersal order for a further six months. Commenting on the situation Llew said ” An extension would see us through the Spring and Summer when the lighter nights and warmer weather have, in the past, brought problems with large groups of young people. The Town Council are working toward the provision of a Multi-Use Games Area and a Youth Shelter which would also help cambat anti-social behaviour by giving young people more things to do in the town.”
EVEN MORE OBJECTIONS TO WINSLOW GREEN
The total number of objections to the proposed Winslow Green development was up to 741 at close of business on 26th February with only 12 letters of support. Friday 27th is the last day for letters to be included in the officers report to the planning committee but AVDC will accept letters right up to the morning of the meeting on 1st April. All letters have to be brought to the attention of the Strategic Planning Committee so do please write if you’ve not done so already.
Market Square protest against Winslow Green
A large group of local residents and Councillors, including Winslow Town Mayor Denis Corben and Deputy Mayor George Langley gathered in the Market Square on Saturday morning to protest against the proposed Winslow Green development. The Chairmen of both Little Horwood and Great Horwood Councils were also present. Placards were waved and leaflets distributed to local residents in what was a good natured protest. As one resident pointed out it was all very well mannered and the protesters all made sure they had appropriate car park tickets before getting involved!
Cllr Llew Monger, who had organised the demonstation, said ”The principle aim was to bring to peoples attention the fact that they only have until Friday 27th to get letters of protest in to Aylesbury Vale’s Planning Department if they are to be included in the officers report to members of Committee” The application to develop 3,300 homes, offices and retail centres will be heard by the Strategic Development Committee on 1st April. Cllr Monger went on to say ”already there have been hundreds of letters of protest but there are hundreds more people who oppose the development but have not yet written to AVDC to say so. We really need everyone who cares about the future of Winslow and the Horwoods to send their written comments to AVDC by 27th”
Winslow Green – Write a letter today!
Over 700 people have attended public meetings in the Horwoods and Winslow to hear about the proposed Winslow Green development and out of all four meetings only two people have expressed support for the proposals. However, saying NO at a meeting is just not enough. We need everyone who went to the meetings, and many more, to write a letter to AVDC.
Don’t leave it to others
WRITE A LETTER TODAY
Written objections should be sent to;
Mr Anthony Barker, Development Control Division, AVDC, 66 High St, Aylesbury, Bucks HP20 1SD,
quoting reference 08/02944/AOP.
Your objection should be based on planning reasons and could include some of the arguments below:
· 95 % of the development would be on ‘greenfield’ land.
· It would destroy the rural nature of Winslow and the Horwoods
· The scale of the development is entirely out of proportion to Winslow. It would be a ‘New Town’ and would totally overwhelm our community.
· It would take 15 years to build and cause huge disruption. The proposed relief road may not be completed until 2019 to aggravate the disruption still further.
· The 3300 houses and proposed office blocks would generate over 22,000 vehicle movements each day which would cause further pressure on the already congested A413 and A421.There is no evidence that the relief road would help Winslow in any way.
SAVE THE WINSLOW WE KNOW AND LOVE