[YOUR ADDRESS]
[DATE]
FAO Mr Cannell
Planning Case Officer
66 High Street
Aylesbury
Bucks
HP20 1SD
Dear Mr Cannell,
Re: Hampden Fields Planning Application (Ref: 12/00605/AOP)
I am writing to object in the strongest possible terms to the above application.
My main reasons for this objection are:-
Previously rejected
A previous application in 1996 for a far smaller development was quite rightly rejected due to:
“It would represent an outward extension of built development beyond the planned limits of Aylesbury Town into open countryside resulting in a visual intrusion into the countryside and a coalescence of settlements to the detriment of the appearance and character of the area.”
“The development proposed would result in the irreversible loss of a substantial area of best and most versatile agricultural land.” (3A and 3B agricultural land.)
“The Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the development can be accommodated on the existing highway network without detriment to the free flow of traffic.”
Due to further large scale housing developments which have been allowed in and around Aylesbury the A41 and A413 are choked. Building link roads from one to the other will not free up space as there is no more capacity on these 2 major arteries. Adding traffic will make an already chronic situation worse.
This new 2012 proposal is THREE TIMES LARGER, and shouldalso be rejected outright.
No evidenced need for this development
This application seems at best an opportunistic bid, by which the Consortium is deploying various means and tactics to push through for capitalist gain.
The current and future approved housing developments means that there is 9.5 years worth of housing stock in the Vale of Aylesbury. Also other already approved developments in the area means that AVDC has more than met its duty under the Localism Act 2011to support sustainable development for the next 20 years.
It is evident that the Consortium are attempting to push through this application before the Planning and Environment Departments next workstream comes into effect to:
“Maintain the Green Belt, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and other environmental protections, and create a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities, as part of the Localism Bill”
Aylesbury has been developed to capacity, all based upon AVDCs “growth demand” figures. However, no evidence has been provided that gives a basis for or substantiates these said growth demand figures? Developers cannot sell the houses that are being built in the area as it is – why would we build anymore to the irreversible detriment of our countryside and rich arable farmland?
Further development does not support Part 6 Chapter 3 of the Governments Localism Agenda.
“The Government thinks that local communities should have genuine opportunities to influence the future of the places where they live.”
In the local area plan consultation, 56% of the respondents of The Parish of Weston Turville stated that they only wished to see small scale development. 3,200 additional homes (extra 10,000 people) into a total population of 3,000 is completely out of all proportion with local needs and wishes of residents, and as AVDC has met its Duty under this Act in another area (see above) further development is not warranted.
No Infrastructure to support the development
The proposed link roads with the development would only create further traffic flow onto the A41 and A413 for the minimum of 6,400 vehicles (most houses have at least 2 vehicles) which will create additional further pressure to existing bottlenecks and traffic flow issues.
This is without taking into regard the additional heavy traffic from the new Arla development and the proposed 2 schools and business park. 6,400 vehicles = minimum of 12,800 journeys per day on a road layout that already cannot cope with the current traffic volume (and doesn’t take into account the additional traffic that will be created by other developments in the area).
The village of Weston Turville will become a “rat run” on roads that were never designed to take the weight and frequency of that level of traffic. Due to the local soil compound (water and clay) the houses in the village already shudder when larger vehicles pass through, it is unlikely that structurally these properties can withstand the increased frequency and volume of traffic that will be caused by this development.
There is no consideration for traffic flow. As the plan stands, vehicles will flow from the development onto the Marroway, with priority being given to those vehicles from the development.
During commuter periods the trains are already full, no consideration has been given to the fact that there will be an increase from the current Weedon Park development alone, even before you add another potential one thousand commuters to Stoke Mandeville.
Services – Health, Social Care, Education
Our services are already stretched to capacity, the required community infrastructure levy towards services will not even scratch the surface of the cost of the increased demand and costs a development of this size will bring.
Flooding
The developers have put in their plans measures to address the existing flooding issue. However, flood water doesn’t just disappear, it gets “shifted” to another area, in this case probably the East of Aylesbury where another large scale development is proposed.
Loss of village identity and historic character and doesn’t consider the view of the local residents
Weston Turville, Stoke Mandeville and Aston Clinton would lose their individual village identity and merge into Aylesbury to the detriment of the residents and the Vale.
Yours sincerely