Dear Mrs May / Mrs Morrissey
Subject: Large Scale Developments near Flood Plains - Wise moves needed, please.
Good
morning Mrs May/ Mrs Morrissey
As a Beaconsfield constituency resident ( living on the banks of the
Thames, just a mile from Cookham Bridge), the current Draft Development
Brief ( DDB) for Hollands Farm Bourne End appears extremely excessive (
>200 homes above Council's own Local Plan), the current Infrastructure
cannot cope and recent roads closed/ flooding are clearly in the minds of
both Cookham & Bourne End residents.
Sewage disposal and Gas supply problems have plagued residents on either
side of Hollands Farm site during both recent and past flood events.
Thames Water cannot cope.
Traffic ( outside Pandemic) is a nightmare.
The Local Plan is for period 2013-2033, so >40% of time period has
already elapsed.
House projections are of 2014 vintage, with 2016 and 2018 ONS data
untouched.
In my personal efforts to highlight ALL relevant concerns over excessive
development, 2 Cookham councillors have been most helpful and helped raise
awareness of a Council-led Public consultation. We felt it important that
residents in Cookham ( literally just across the listed, single track
bridge, constructed in 1867) were alerted to likely problems originating
just 1/2 mile away at HF and had a chance to challenge same and suggest
constructive/ detailed actions.
That consultation closed last Wednesday at 5pm on 17th Feb, so the Council
has not had time to fully consider or publish such Community views and any
Final Development Brief will take more Council time.
However, we now see aggressive tactics/ actions, launched by a Land
Promoter ( LP), less than 15 hours later on the morning of 18th Feb,
blatantly ignoring any such Community efforts or views, dis-respecting the
Council process and clearly ‘not fussed in the slightest’ to wait on
proper direction from the Final Development Brief.
In a world where Jacinda Ardern shows clear leadership and rightly
fights aggressive posturing by Facebook in NZ, are you able to defend your
own Constituents from such similar LP ‘bullying’ stances here, please?
The local Keep Bourne End Green ( KBEG) group have done an extremely
thorough job and prepared a detailed official KBEG response to the
Hollands Farm Draft Development Brief https://www.keepbourneendgreen.org
(far beyond what I can hope to emulate or summarise in this short note to
you both).
Overdevelopment ( vs Local Plan), Infrastructure and Traffic problems all
occur within 1/2 mile of the Council and Parliamentary constituency
boundary here— so a joined-up approach is considered needed to solve
issues and stay within sustainable plan limits, on both sides of the
bridge.
Sustainable drainage ( SUDS), water run-off from any developments near
flood plains or any unseen / underground issues ( such as underground
streams, sink-holes or land slip possibilities) are potential problems
looming, some possibly unseen, just N of Cookham.
(eg a massive sink hole appeared at Sappers Field, completely
un-announced, just uphill from this HF site in question and was discovered
by a local dog-walker)
'Brownfield sites identification' and 'New BioDiversity mandates’ are 2
wider, yet absolutely related issues raised by the Council themselves,
within less than 40 hours of Public consultation ending on 17th at 5pm and
the Bucks Free Press being for sale on the morning of Fri 19th Feb--- yet
these were conspicuously notable by their absence during the Draft DB
consultation. Why? (...just very unlucky timing?)
In the absence of any transparency, common-sense or properly timed/
sequential events, the Public may be slightly suspicious, at best.
The HF site is ( sadly) removed from the Green Belt and allocated for
development.
The priority is now to ensure that the Development Brief is accompanied by
a full Transport Assessment and that any Planning Application is made in
Full rather than Outline.
Within that, we wish the Council to take note of underlying Local Plan
total housing (sustainable) numbers.
In a fast-changing Pandemic world, should this not make optimum use of
both Brownfield development and Office conversions as the very first
priorities?
(Public wish to ensure optimum resource use, no ‘white elephants’ left
standing, in public view. just yesterday, HSBC announced 40% cut in their
office use)
Communities also wish to preserve the character and landscape of Bourne
End, Cookham and the immediately surrounding settlements.
Any development must be sustainable and in line with a net zero carbon
future, including a recently announced programme of Biodiversity net-gain,
expected to be mandated soon.
I note a ( non flood plain) development was stopped dead in its tracks
recently, in Uxbridge
The question at hand now is whether you (as 2 local and very well
respected MP's) can influence Bucks Council positively and simultaneously
'rein-in the Land Promoter' by 7 clearly focussed actions, (which for
clarity, I have taken the liberty to highlight bold below ) and hope you
find constructive, please:
1. Supporting the Council‘s effort to produce a Final Development
Brief that is sustainable, for both Communities
2. Ensuring a thorough Planning application is made in FULL ( not
Outline), such that key issues that will affect your Constituent’s
future lives are not just ‘ kicked down road’
3. A full Flood Plain assessment (FPA) is conducted at earliest possible
stage, including the sequential test mandate and importantly, the
downstream impact on Cookham.
3. A detailed Transport assessment is made, covering full traffic
implications, from developments by both Bucks and RBWM Councils, on both
sides of Cookham Bridge
4. Empty Brownfield spaces and Office Conversions (post Pandemic,
including all latest news) are both fully considered as a first priority
to meet Local Plan needs, within Council's own published sustainability
targets.
5. Newly proposed BioDiversity mandates are fully honoured and
incorporated at Hollands Farm site itself, using the sequential on-site
tests proposed.
6. The best, most up to date data is used ( as the Pandemic has clearly
taught everyone )
Put simply: Common sense, full transparency, join ALL dots ( with all 'i's
dotted and all 't's crossed) with your collective leadership and drive,
for the benefit of Cookham and Bourne End Communities for the next 20+
years and beyond, please.
7. A Land Promoter is not allowed to ignore due process, act prematurely
(or possibly suspiciously) or indeed be seen to ‘bully’ either of our
cherished Communities.
Mrs May/ Mrs Morrissey--My personal thanks to you both for your valuable
time and your consideration. I'd be grateful if your respective offices
would confirm receipt of this note, please.
Are you both able to influence and make an absolutely massive
difference to the future of both Cookham and Bourne End Communities in a
joined- up 'pincer-movement' to ensure a coherent and transparent approach
here, please?
I really do hope so.
Regards,
‘Troubled Bridge’
(name and address supplied)
PS: Fyi, my back ground is over 35 years of World-scale projects.
I understand the importance of Political leadership/ engagement to ensure any huge project has correct drive, Public support where possible and ultimately succeeds.
I stand by my own words and I’d be happy to help ( for free).