Terriers Farm Development Brief

 Character of the development (paragraph 5.8)

• It is difficult to comment on this without seeing plans in more detail, however, Hazlemere Parish Council does think it is important that the development offers a mix of different housing types throughout the area, rather than ‘zoning’ some areas within the development for say affordable housing, flats, retirement housing or executive housing. In order to develop a strong community spirit, Hazlemere Parish Council would prefer to see a range of property types throughout the site, rather than risking creating little ‘ghettoes’ of less attractive properties, flats or retirement housing. 

   Hazlemere Parish Council agree that a significant proportion of the development must be ‘affordable’, however this is not just a matter of the purchase cost. Hazlemere Parish Council read with concern of the growing practice of selling new properties on a 999-year leasehold basis, which introduces significant insecurity for leaseholders if the freehold is sold on and can be open to abuse (see, for example, https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/oct/29/new-builds-house-buyers-leasehold-property-trap).

   With an ageing population, Hazlemere Parish Council also urge the Planning Authority to consider developing Terriers Farm as an ‘age-friendly’ neighbourhood (see http://www.who.int/ageing/projects/age_friendly_cities_network/en/), and to require properties to be built to lifetime homes standard. Allowing people to ‘age in place’ would ensure a stable community where different generations can live alongside each other, with all the social benefits that such an approach would bring.

   Maintaining a separate village identity (paragraph 5.9)

  Maintaining Hazlemere’s separate identity is a high priority for the Parish Council. For this reason, Hazlemere Parish Council place a high priority on protecting the recreation ground and the three fields as a break between the two areas of Terriers and Hazlemere.  

   Protecting the recreation ground and the three fields (paragraph 5.10)

  Hazlemere Parish Council would strongly resist any road through the Recreation Ground, which in our view, would significantly reduce the amenity of the open space, particularly since Hazlemere Parish Council understand it would be necessary to have housing overlooking the road. This would overlook the open space and completely change its character. Hazlemere Parish Council also question whether there would be space for road access without losing important local amenities such as our tennis courts, and certainly do not believe that it would be safe, since it would be adjacent to the Pre-School at Hazlemere Memorial Hall and the exit would be opposite a primary school and church (where the pavements are already quite narrow and heavily used by schoolchildren).

   Hazlemere Parish Council would also point out that the tennis club in Hazlemere has made a substantial investment in new courts in recent years, as well as an upgrade to their club house facility. The proposed new road would be disastrous for the tennis enthusiast of Hazlemere.

   Hazlemere Parish Council also has some concerns about a sports hub in the three fields, which as the document points out would require parking and access from the recreation ground. Hazlemere Parish Council support the need for more sports pitches, but the nature of the facilities could make a huge difference to the character of the open space. An all-weather pitch would be a useful addition to the local facilities, but floodlighting could be extremely obtrusive. It could also have a major impact on the adjoining AONB.  Hazlemere Parish Council strongly oppose any proposal to put sports pitches on Grange Farm which would completely change the character of the area.

   Access (paragraph 5.11)

  Hazlemere Parish Council does not support either of the potential vehicle crossings through the PRoW and hedgerow onto the A404, either adjacent to Willow Chase or Trinity Road, because Hazlemere Parish Council strongly believe that either route would create a ‘rat-run’ through the development from the Terriers roundabout to the A404 and lead to serious congestion where the road re-joins the A404. Congestion during the recent weekend roadworks have shown that the Hazlemere Crossroads area and all roads leading off it cannot take much more traffic.

   On balance, Hazlemere Parish Council think the topography and road infrastructure really only supports one entry point, along the Kingshill Road.

   For emergency access, Hazlemere Parish Council point out that there is already one entry point leading up to the Recreation ground. As stated above, Hazlemere Parish Council would not support road access through the Recreation Ground. Hazlemere Parish Council would support pedestrian access through the woodland alongside Willow Chase, but argue against paving and lighting it as it would risk becoming a defacto road.

   Impact on the adjoining AONB (paragraph 5.12)

  Hazlemere Parish Council are concerned that the briefs envisages development right up to the boundary with the AONB, which is likely to lead to significant light pollution and change the character of the surrounding green areas. Hazlemere Parish Council would not support the loss of any frontage hedge along the Kingshill Road, and believe that Ladies’ Mile must be retained as a ‘green way’ – not paved, lit and turned into a suburban path.

   Drainage (paragraph 6.19)

  Hazlemere Parish Council are concerned that part of the site is susceptible to flooding. Locally, water flooding has just forced vulnerable residents of sheltered housing at Jackson Court out of their homes for the second time in fifteen months. This typifies the strain the existing infrastructure is already under, and the impact if there is a failure somewhere in the drainage system. It is vital that the flood risk is taken seriously and that the land is developed assuming the most pessimistic scenarios for flooding. In particular, Hazlemere Parish Council question what impact the development might have on the risk of flooding on the A404 (particularly at the dip near the Beech Tree pub).

   Infrastructure

  Hazlemere Parish Council reiterate our concerns that this is inadequate provision for schooling, retail premises and medical facilities in the brief. Hazlemere Parish Council would like to see on-site community facilities, such as a local shop, doctor’s surgery and community centre. Without these Hazlemere Parish Council think the main way people will access the surrounding facilities is by car, placing still further demands on the already stretched transport infrastructure.

Hazlemere Parish Council

28 November 2016