Planning! Important Opportunity to Have Your Say

Recent Changes to Planning System

An Important Opportunity to Have Your Say!

You’ll likely have seen in the news and in a recent press release from the Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, Martin Tett, that changes are being made to the planning system, that are described by Mr Tett as “cataclysmic”.

For Buckinghamshire it means a 42% increase in the already challenging housing targets for the County, with no commitment from government to help with funding for the necessary supportive infrastructure. This equates to an increase from 2912 to 4122 new houses per year.

As you know, to the east of Whaddon planning for the new Shenley Park development - at least 1150 houses - is in hand, and an additional 1000 houses are now being mooted at Shenley Dens to the north of the village, within the emerging MKCC Local Plan. This is in addition to the imminent Salden Chase development (approx. 1800 houses) located southeast, off the A421/ Bottledump Roundabout. We should also remember that several other sites have been strongly promoted by developers within the New Local Plan for Buckinghamshire, that might well expand both Shenley Park and Salden Chase well beyond their current land footprint, during the lifetime of the New local plan to 2040.

There is also huge concern over encroachment on greenbelt, loss of agricultural land and rural industry, expansion of urban sprawl and lack of infrastructure to support these developments, as well as Bucks possibly having to additionally accept the unmet housing needs of adjoining and nearby counties.

The government has released a Consultation Document, in which you can have your say:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-reforms-to-the-national-planning-policy-framework-and-other-changes-to-the-planning-system/proposed-reforms-to-the-national-planning-policy-framework-and-other-changes-to-the-planning-system

Knowing it’s a big ask, WPC hopes you will take this opportunity to make your views known. As this is a Nationwide survey, affecting the whole country, and not just Buckinghamshire, your Parish Council feel unable to help with any suggested responses, as it is up to individuals to make their personal views known, on those sections of the consultation most relevant to them.

WPC hopes you will take advantage of this important opportunity to respond to this survey.
The deadline is 11.45pm 24th September 2024.

Kind regards

Suzanne Lindsey
Clerk & RFO to Whaddon Parish Council