A new local plan
for the District
Key areas
What is the local plan?
It’s a long term plan to 2033. It recognises the natural
beauty and assets of the District and sets out where
we propose new homes, jobs and infrastructure to be
created to help meet our needs.
What is in the draft plan?
The plan sets out strategic policies for the District,
as well as policies for the management of new
development, and specific proposals for key areas:
What is the
process?
A joined up
approach
We face challenges but so do
others. Everyone has to plan
for growth.
We have a duty to cooperate with
other councils and organisations to
deal with the big issues and make
sure our plans all fit together.
We have been working very closely
with Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern and
South Bucks District Councils.
Aylesbury Vale is proposing to meet
some of our housing need.
• High Wycombe area
•Marlow
• Princes Risborough
• Bourne End and Wooburn
• Rural areas
(Proposals for Princes Risborough were covered in
the draft Princes Risborough Town Plan which we
consulted on in spring this year)
Stage 1 - The issues
Winter 2012 and June 2013
Stage 2 - The options
e
We ar
here
February / April 2014
Stage 3 - The draft plan
July 2016
Stage 4 - Publication
consultation and submission
to the planning inspectorate
Early 2017
Stage 5 - Examination of
the plan
Summer 2017
Stage 6 - Adoption of the plan
Late 2017
What happens
next?
•
•
Taking account of your comments
we will finalise the draft plan before
publishing it for six weeks statutory
consultation early next year.
People who make comments on
that final version can then attend
the examination in public where an
independent planning inspector will
scrutinise the plan.
•
If the inspector is satisfied with the
plan, the Council will adopt it in late
2017/2018.
•
Once adopted the new local plan
will be the framework for planning
decisions across the District.
To find out more
• come along to one of our events
• see the full draft local plan and
supporting technical reports on
our website at
www.wycombe.gov.uk/newlocalplan
Technical reports cover topics such as:
- housing needs and land supply
-economy
-transport
- Green Belt
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- flood risk etc.
You can look at a printed copy of the
draft local plan at the Councils’ offices
and in libraries across the District.
• Email your questions to the
Planning Policy Team at
newlocalplan@wycombe.gov.uk
or call 01494 421158.
To comment on
the plan
• You can respond using our online form at
www.wycombe.gov.uk/haveyoursay
• download a response form at the same
web address
• send us an email
newlocalplan@wycombe.gov.uk
•you can also pick up a response form at the
Council offices, local library or information
centre
•send a letter to Planning Policy,
Wycombe District Council, Council offices,
Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe,
Bucks, HP11 1BB
Anyone can comment – please quote the
paragraph, policy or site you are referring
to where possible.
Draft local plan consultation ends Monday 8 August (midnight)
What we want to achieve
1. C
herish the Chilterns and instil a sense of place
throughout the District
• b
y conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the landscape of the
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and creating high quality places
2.Improve strategic transport connectivity with the
Thames Valley and South East Midlands
• to continue to make the most of our good location
3.Facilitate improvements to local infrastructure by
focused investment
• b
y making sure new development provides the new infrastructure it needs,
and make the most of opportunities for growth and investment
4.Foster the economic strength of the M40/A404
location and that of the rural economy
• b
y making sure existing employment sites remain attractive so existing
businesses can thrive, by providing new land so that businesses can move
here, but also by supporting rural diversification
5.Contribute our fair share towards tackling the need
for more housing
• b
y focusing on towns which can provide a wide range of local services
and infrastructure now or in the future, which will also help to protect
the countryside
6.Champion thriving town and business centres to
provide the focus of our social and economic activity
• by creating people and business friendly places
OS mapping: © Crown Copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100023306.
Making it all add up: planning to 2033
15,000
the number of homes needed to meet our
housing need, according to the Government’s
set method.
Green
Belt
AONB
10,000
the number of new homes we think we can
accommodate in the District (the target in our
old plan was 8,000).
Some of these are already being built, most
of them will be new proposals.
50%
around half of those 10,000 new homes
would be on brownfield sites.
5,000
71% of the land in the district is part of the
Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
(AONB) and 48% of the land in the district is
designated as part of the Green Belt. They are
protected by national and planning policies.
We will use a limited amount of district’s Green Belt
and AONB land to help meet our need for homes
and jobs – less than 1 per cent.
homes is the shortfall –or our ‘unmet
need’. Aylesbury Vale are proposing to
meet this need in their plan.
Where new homes
are being proposed
Where will they be built?
• Our total need is 15,000 homes by 2033.
• 10,000 homes – this is our target
-broadly 90% will be built in the larger towns and villages of the District, which have a good
range of facilities
-broadly 10% of the new homes will go in villages, to help rural communities develop and thrive
• 5,000 homes will go to Aylesbury Vale in addition to their own need, as they are less constrained
than our District.
The maps below show broadly where homes are proposed to be provided in the District
Walters Ash
and Naphill
Longwick
• Land at Thame Road /
Bar Lane (RUR7), land at
Rose Farm (RUR8, and
land off Thame Road /
south of Chestnut Way
(RUR9) could provide
new homes.
• A site at Naphill
(RUR11) could
provide around
40 homes
Princes
Risborough
• Around 2,500 homes as
a new comprehensive
expansion, plus small
sites in town.
• Around a quarter of the
housing in the District
• We consulted you on this
through the draft Princes
Risborough Town Plan.
Stokenchurch
• At Stokenchurch, land
south of Mill Road
(RUR12) could provide
around 160 homes.
High Wycombe area
Lane End
• Land off
Finings Road (RUR1),
off Marlow Road (RUR2),
off Ellis Way (RUR3) and
off Simmons Way
(RUR4) could provide
around
90 homes.
Proposed for housing
Proposed for mixed use
Proposed for housing which also requires
removal from the Green Belt
OS mapping: © Crown Copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100023306.
Marlow
• Two new sites in
Marlow could provide
around 200 homes. MR7
at Oak Tree road is a
less certain option that
needs further work
•
igh Wycombe area is the main area for new
H
homes. This includes developing the reserve sites
at Abbey Barn North (HW4) and Abbey Barn
South (HW5), Gomm Valley and Ashwells (HW6),
and Terriers Farm (HW7). Two new sites (HW8,
HW12) are also being considered at Hazlemere.
•
Other sites in the area include:
- Glynswood (HW10)
- Former Bassetsbury Allotments (HW14)
- Leigh street (HW13)
- Horns Lane (HW11)
- Land off Hughenden Road (HW9)
Bourne End and
Wooburn
• Three sites in Bourne End and
Wooburn could deliver around
750 homes:
• Slate Meadow reserve site (BE1)
• New sites at Hollands Farm (BE2)
and at Northern Heights (BE3)
Supporting the economy
The big picture
Wycombe District has a strong economic base with a
large number of small, specialised businesses as well as
large companies.
Despite the restructuring of the economy over the past 15
years, Wycombe still has a strong industrial base but this is
changing. Our economy has become more focused on the
service sector which has different needs in terms of premises
and facilities.
Handy Cross Hub
The new sports centre, Waitrose
and park-and-ride are already
open. This will be followed by
35,000 square metres of high
quality offices and a new hotel.
The most up-to-date evidence on the local economy shows
that the overall demand for land for business is increasing.
What we want to achieve
1.Protecting existing business areas from other pressures.
2.Building new high quality offices in High Wycombe town
centre and at Handy Cross Hub
3.Creating new sites for business at Wycombe Airpark
and at Stokenchurch Business Centre
4.Creating a new site for business at Princes Risborough
(as part of the Town Plan)
5. Supporting the rural economy
New Sites
Wycombe Airpark
• W
e plan to take an area of land out of the Green Belt at
Wycombe Airpark, to allow for more business development.
Flying would continue at the Airpark.
Stokenchurch
• W
e are also proposing an extension of Stokenchurch Business
Park. The direct motorway access makes this attractive for new
business development.
Princes Risborough
• T
he draft Town Plan includes the expansion of the Princes
Estate to create more jobs.
Elsewhere
• P
lans for the Reserve Sites at Abbey Barn South and Gomm
Valley include space for new businesses as well as new homes.
Improved Sites
Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe
• T
his is Wycombe District’s premier industrial location.
Parts of the business park could do with a refresh.
Globe Park, Marlow
• T
his is a key business site which is not fulfilling its potential.
Improvements to the access are planned to make the most
of its proximity to the A404/M40/M4.
What’s not in the plan
This plan does not include proposals for ‘Junction 3a’ on the
M40 or sites near to Westhorpe Junction near Marlow.
We are working with Buckinghamshire County Council and
Highways England on this. No conclusions have been
reached yet.
OS mapping: © Crown Copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100023306.
Providing infrastructure
What is it?
Infrastructure includes roads,
buses, walkways and cycle
paths, sewage, broadband,
schools, parks, cemeteries
and more.
Infrastructure delivery plan
More houses will add to the pressure on existing infrastructure.
New infrastructure requirements are set out in the Infrastructure
Delivery Plan published alongside the local plan. It provides an
assessment of the infrastructure required to support the housing
and employment we are planning.
The draft local plan includes an appendix which sets out a number
of the most important infrastructure projects with information
where possible on costs and funding.
Roads
At the junction of the M40 and A404, the District has a unique location,
a short distance from the M25 and central London, and with the A404
providing access to the M4 and Thames Valley. We plan to build on
these strengths.
Road connections north through Buckinghamshire to the South
East Midlands are currently weak. Significant improvements are
needed. We will need to carefully consider the impact on the Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Local roads and Local Transport Plans are managed by
Buckinghamshire County Council. We are working closely with them
to assess and respond to the transport impacts of our local plan.
Rail
Rail connections to the Thames Valley are weak, with only Bourne End
and Marlow having direct access to Crossrail; but the connections
to the South East Midlands will improve in due course with the
implementation of East West Rail. We also need to explore options to
bridge the strategic rail gap from High Wycombe to Bourne End. This is
outside of the scope of this plan.
Other transport
Providing bus services and walking and cycling for new homes remains
a priority in the plan.
Green infrastructure
Space for nature, and opportunities for us to experience nature,
are essential to a high quality of life and sustainable development.
Much of the District is treasured nationally as an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty. Our new local plan promises to
Cherish the Chilterns and to create a greener future for our towns.
Schools
New primary schools are planned at Daws Hill/Abbey Barn South
and Gomm Valley/Ashwells. Other schools will expand.
Cemeteries
A potential new cemetery is being considered at Queensway
in Hazlemere.
OS mapping: © Crown Copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100023306.
How does growth contribute
to infrastructure?
New development contributes to infrastructure through:
• Community Infrastructure Levy payments to the Council
•section 106 Planning Obligations agreed between developers and
the Council
•new facilities provided on site as part of new development
Other partners
The Local Plan can help secure some types of infrastructure such
as schools or transport improvements. Many others are provided in
different ways. For example, the NHS is responsible for planning for
hospitals and Highways England operates the motorway system. Basic
utilities such as water and electricity are planned and provided by the
relevant statutory bodies.
Green Belt and Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty
Green Belt
• Designated in the 1950’s
•Our Green Belt is part of the
London Green Belt
Why development in the Green Belt and Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty?
To help meeting our development needs, we have had to assess all of our options for
development within the District. This includes looking at both the Green Belt and AONB.
• Oxford has a Green Belt too
Chilterns Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty
•Most of the Green Belt is open
farm land
• Designated in the 1960’s
•Green Belt is not designated
for its landscape quality
•A landscape with distinctive
character that it is in the nation’s
interest to protect
Five Green Belt Purposes
•The Council cannot change the
extent of the AONB
1.Preventing unrestricted sprawl
of large built-up areas
•National status means that this land
is as important as National Parks
like Snowdonia or the Lake District
2.Preventing neighbouring towns
from merging together
3.Safeguarding the countryside
from encroachment
•We need exceptional reasons for
proposing major development in an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
4.Preserve the setting and
character
of historic towns
5.Assisting in urban regeneration
of derelict land
How was the Green Belt
assessment done?
This was a two stage process.
1.We assessed the whole Green
Belt against the five purposes.
Seven areas were identified for
further investigation.
2.We looked in more details at
those seven areas together
with a number of mainly smaller
sites, most of which were
suggested by landowners
and developers.
What we are proposing in
this plan – Green Belt
Overall, out of the 70 sites
assessed, 13 sites are being
consulted on as part of this plan for
possible development (see map).
These are sites which would help to
meet our housing and employment
needs.
Two exceptions are the site of RAF
Walters Ash, and another site to the
north of Lane End are proposed to
be taken out of the Green Belt but
are not proposed for development.
OS mapping: © Crown Copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100023306.
Why Lane End and Stokenchurch? • This is 0.15% of the AONB
These villages have been explored as
potential options are they are considered to
be sustainable locations for growth. They sit
almost entirely outside of the Green Belt, but
are however located entirely within the AONB.
How was the AONB assessment
done?
We looked at sites suggested by landowners
and developers
We looked around each of the villages to see if
there were other possible suitable sites
We looked for sites that were well connected to
the village and to existing development.
•Some of these sites are also in the
Green Belt
Major development
vs. non-major
development
The NPPF discourages
‘major development’ in the AONB, however
defining what is ‘major’ is not clear-cut. In this
assessment we have tried to find sites that fit
with their surroundings and have a minimal
impact on the surrounding landscape.
What we are proposing in this
plan – AONB
We shortlisted the best sites and assessed the As part of this consultation, we are asking
landscape impact of development on the AONB. for comments on various housing proposals
across Stokenchurch and Lane End. This
• We assessed over 25 sites
is a mix of sites which have been promoted
•More than 10 have been identified as
to us, and sites which we have identified
possible sites in the draft plan
as having potential. Additionally, we have
•They could provide around 300 homes and identified a possible extension to Stokenchurch
Business Park.
3 ha of employment land on 35 ha of land