TAYLOR Wimpey’s proposal to build 544 houses, a new school and other facilities in the Gomm Valley, between Cock Lane and Hammersley Lane Tylers Green, is attracting serious concern.
The development, if it went ahead, would increase the local population (currently around 5,000) by up to 1,400 and the knock-on effects would be significant say public bodies ranging from the NHS to the police.
See the last blog for details of the scheme, but here’s a quick run-down of the latest worries:
- Health concerns: The NHS, represented by the local integrated care board, is blunt. “For the avoidance of doubt, the impact of this development cannot be absorbed by the nearby GP practices,” the board says. It wants Taylor Wimpey to contribute more than half a million pounds to enable the NHS to expand the two nearest doctors’ surgeries, Penn Surgery and the Lynton House Surgery.
- Crime concerns: Thames Valley Police says the proposed design for the estate “raises significant security and management concerns… which could increase the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour and negatively impact future occupants, the community and the resources of the police”. It wants major redesigns and tougher security measures in place if permission is to be given.
- Water concerns: Thames Water says that if the development is to go ahead as proposed it could lead to low water pressure or even no water pressure over the whole area. It wants to see a major upgrade to the water network to enable it to cope with the additional demand, but doesn’t say what that would involve or how much it would cost. In addition, the flooding authority wants a number conditions to be met before any approval and has concerns about potential flooding risk around the proposed new school.
- Traffic concerns: In rejecting Taylor Wimpey’s original application last year the Government’s planning inspector said the extra traffic generated onto the A40 London Road made the scheme impracticable. Taylor Wimpey then commissioned another traffic modelling scheme which concludes that the traffic jams won’t be anything like as bad as originally thought (see last blog). Local parish councillors disagree. “Those concerns have not been removed simply by substituting one modelling package for another,” says Chepping Wycombe Parish Council.
- Wildlife concerns – BBONT, the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, says the development will have “major implications for biodiversity” and has listed 11 specific reasons for its objection. The Gomm Valley includes a supposedly protected Local Wildlife Site, two ancient woodlands and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The public’s opinion on all this has been sidelined because of Buckinghamshire Council’s extraordinary decision not to publish public views on planning applications (see last blog). In the past there have been hundreds of objections from individuals on this issue and a handful of emails and letters in support. This time we’ll never know in detail what members of the public have to say.
Nonetheless, due to a delay in announcing the plans, the deadline for public comments on the plan has been extended until 24 October. The council is due to make a decision next month, although that’s not confirmed.
Local news
Phone crack-down – Tough rules on mobile phone use have been introduced at Sir William Ramsay School in Rose Avenue, Hazlemere. Students with mobile phones must keep them in lockable pouches with the unlocking devices only available at school exits at the end of the day. Students who say they don’t have a phone are searched with a hand-held metal detector and if one is found it is confiscated. Only parents or carers can collect the phone later.
The school has also tightened up its uniform regulations. Pupils are no longer allowed to wear trainers, just school shoes; and there’s a ban on false, painted or extension nails; false eyelashes and excess jewellery. Only plain ear studs or a small nose stud are permitted.
Cemetery fly-tipping – Security at the Penn Road cemetery near Hazlemere Crossroads is being urgently reviewed following incidents of fly-tipping. In one instance a load of rubble and concrete was dumped near graves.
Outstanding surgery – The Simpson Centre and Penn Surgery has been given an “outstanding” rating following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission. You can read the report on this link https://www.cqc.org.uk and enter Simpson Centre Beaconsfield in the appropriate boxes.
Seasonal fare – Harvest festival celebrations at the Chilterns Open Air Museum last month included traditional methods of threshing corn and music from folk bands and Morris dancers. On the last day of this month the museum will feature its Halloween Spectacular with spooky story-telling, scary walks and toasted marshmallows on the bonfire. In the village, Holy Trinity and St Margaret’s churches will hold a free-of-charge harvest supper in the village hall this month with a magic show.
Lucky escape – Three people in a taxi had a narrow escape when a mature tree fell ten metres in front of them on the Hazlemere to Amersham Road by the Penn Street junction. Its branches smashed the windscreen but the two passengers and driver escaped injury.
No to path – Chepping Wycombe Parish Council, which is responsible for the maintenance of Tylers Green Common, has rejected a request to create a footpath on the front common alongside School Road, linking the pond with the current track ending opposite Tylers Green First School entrance.
Air displays – The air display team the Red Arrows flew over the village last month after their fly-past over Windsor Castle to mark the visit of US president Donald Trump. The following day Mr Trump and his military escort also flew over en route to Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country home at Ellesborough.
Phone masts – Four new phone masts are to be erected in the horse field off Hazlemere Road, Penn, to assist in the roll-out of the 5G network in the area. The two existing antenna will be removed.
Mid-table safety – Penn and Tylers Green Cricket Club’s men’s first team finished mid-table in division 4B of the Thames Valley Cricket League.
Sunday pharmacies – A survey of chemists has found that the nearest pharmacies to Penn and Tylers Green open on Sundays are in the Tesco stores in Loudwater and Amersham.
Remembrance Day – Everyone is invited to attend a ceremony of remembrance at 11am on Tuesday 11 November on Tylers Green front common as part of the annual Remembrance Day commemorations.
From Parish Piece to Broadway: James Corden’s amazing journey
WHO WOULD have thought that the fresh faced school trumpet-player from 32 years ago – third from the left on the back row – would open in his third show on New York’s Broadway last month to the usual rave reviews?
Everyone knew that 15 year old James Corden was most comfortable when performing on the school hall stage at what was then called Holmer Green Upper School in Parish Piece.
His performance at the 1993 Christmas Concert was described in the school magazine thus: “This (a performance by the school’s guitar players) was followed by Holmer Green’s own version of The Christmas Song by the school’s very own Des O’Connor, James Corden. He was accompanied on the piano by Matthew Lancaster. An excellent piece.”
Fifth former James himself wrote a review of the school’s summer production Dazzle, which he co-wrote, saying… “The story follows the crew of the Starship Sunburster 1, to seek out new worlds, to find new civilisations, and boldly go where no school production has gone before,” adding, modestly, that it was “actually quite funny”. He’s pictured below – second from the right at the back – with some of the cast.
Three years after this picture was taken, after learning tricks of the trade at the Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe and playing cornet in the local Salvation Army band, James went on the professional stage with just one-line to say in the musical Martin Guerre.
Since then of course there’s been no looking back for the multi-talented entertainer. He’s won Bafta, Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Awards for his performances on stage and screen as well as an OBE for services to drama.
He’ll return at Christmas after his latest Broadway stint to his London home to join his wife Julia and their three children Max, Carey and Charlotte. It’s reported he’ll then begin to explore ideas for a new TV comedy series with his Gavin and Stacey writing partner Ruth Jones. His parents, with whom he’s pictured above, still live in Hazlemere and he remains close to his two older sisters.
Dilemma for Emma
OUR WYCOMBE (and Tylers Green) MP Emma Reynolds is on a steep learning curve following her promotion last month to a Cabinet role as the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
She’s in charge of a vast Government department dealing with issues from farming to flooding; from countryside to climate change.
But her new job has presented her with a tricky challenge here on her doorstep.
In May Defra reduced funding to one of its quangos called Natural England.
Subsequently Natural England then pulled the plug on a project it had been working on for three years to extend the boundary of what was formerly called the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, now called Chilterns National Landscape,.
Cue outrage from local country lovers hoping that such an extension would protect beauty spots (including, possibly, the Gomm Valley) from threatened development. Dr Elaine King, the normally urbane chief exec of the Chilterns National Landscape, fumed: “This is devastating. The time, effort and hope invested by so many people has simply been swept away. This is not just a missed opportunity, it’s a step backwards.”
Unsurprisingly angry constituents wrote to their MPs, including Ms Reynolds. One such was this blog’s author who received the following reply:
“I share your disappointment regarding the cancellation of this project. The Chilterns hold significant environmental value and are loved by so many people across Wycombe.
“Several constituents have written to me expressing their concerns. In June I wrote to… (Defra), raising their concerns. Once I hear back from the Department I will let you know.”
Now Ms Reynolds is the new boss of said Department so at some stage she’s going to have to reply to her own letter. It will be interesting to see what she says.
Today Albert would be called a Nimby. A century ago he was a hero.
THE BATTLE to save woodland from development in this area is nothing new.
Just over 100 years ago King’s Wood in Tylers Green came on the market.
Private buyers rubbed their hands in anticipation – not so much because they wanted to develop the 185 acre site, although that would have inevitably followed, but because they knew they would make a fortune from the timber.
The local authority which later became Wycombe Council wanted to buy it to protect it but times were tough and they couldn’t afford it.
So up stepped Albert Taplin who was the clerk of the tiny Tylers Green-based parish council (later to become Chepping Wycombe Parish Council). Supported by parish councillors he set about trying to buy the wood with additional support of individual donors.
Indeed the parish nearly bankrupted itself taking out a massive £600 loan, repayable over 50 years. But they succeeded, saving the wood for us to enjoy today.
Albert wrote in his minutes: “The conveyance of the estate was completed in 1922, thus assuring that the magnificent wood will forever remain an open space and the neighbourhood saved from the calamity which would have followed the proposal to completely clear the site of all the timber.”
Many years later the community paid tribute to Albert’s drive and determination. They named Taplin Way after him and his father Ben, who had been parish clerk before him.
Looks delicious. Tastes woolly.
From the inbox…
Under the counter – An eagle-eyed Gomm Valley watcher has been in touch to point out that Taylor Wimpey’s new conclusions that traffic congestion won’t be as bad as first thought if they build 540 odd houses off Cock Lane and Hammersley Lane may be flawed. He observed where the rubber traffic-counting mats laid across local roads were located…and noted that if you nipped down Cock Lane, along Orchard Road and into Gomm Road to go the the Aldi/B&Q/Halfords shopping centre you wouldn’t actually cross any of the traffic-counting mats and therefore your journey wouldn’t be logged.
What’s the point? – And on the subject of the Gomm Valley, there’s much disgruntlement about Buckinghamshire Council’s blatant censorship of public comments. One correspondent points out that last time round there were 202 public comments on the plan, 199 of which were objections. Now all those comments have disappeared from the council’s website and any new comments won’t be published. “People will be reluctant to object again and anyway may view it as a pointless exercise,” he writes.
The sound of silence – There’s a lingering doubt as to whether the council is acting within the law with its new censorship rule. A reader writes: “The Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 ensures public access to planning application documents and comments made by residents. Under this Act, local councils must publish all representations and documentation for public inspection, typically online. Personal information, such as email addresses etc can be redacted to comply with the Data Protection Act 2018.” He wrote to the council some weeks ago pointing this out. So far he’s not had a reply.
Brushed aside – The following email from a gentleman who enjoys sitting by the pond with a cup of coffee from JJ’s. “I noticed last Saturday (6 September) that School Road was closed to traffic due to it being resurfaced. A couple of months ago (or less) yellow lines were painted to try and stop dangerous parking along that stretch. Does the council enjoy wasting our money in this way, as they will have to repeat the process at our expense?”
Fish? What fish? – One of the village “ex-pats” has been in contact to thank Ken Allen for sending to those who were brought up here in the 1930s, 40s and early 50s copies of this blog to the places far and wide they now call home. Many were surprised to learn from last month’s blog that there are fish in Widmer Pond on the common…there certainly weren’t any in their day! The pond was stocked by local fishing enthusiasts about 50 years ago – an exercise that proved almost too successful. When the pond gets over-populated excess fish are periodically scooped out and then released into the River Wye.
House prices, traffic jams and skills shortages hold back future prosperity says report
SEVEN out of ten businesses in Buckinghamshire say that local road congestion and finding the right staff with the right skills are hindering their plans for growing their business.
Three quarters say the cost of business premises is the biggest barrier to growth, while employers say the cost of housing is putting people off moving to the area.
Housing is less affordable in Bucks than any of its neighbouring areas with average house prices 11.4 times average earnings.
Now Buckinghamshire Council has embarked on a ten year plan to strengthen the local economy and reverse the trend of declining investment.
In a sobering report councillors were told that, in contrast to neighbouring areas, more Buckinghamshire residents leave the county for work than non-residents coming in.
Thirteen per cent of working Bucks residents commute to London, much higher than the neighbouring counties of Berkshire (nine per cent) and Oxfordshire (two per cent).
As part of its plan the council wants to encourage large firms to establish themselves in the county. Nearly half of all turnover is generated by the 90 organisations with more than 250 employees. They also provide 44 per cent of all Buckinghamshire-based jobs.
Double speak
THIS month the Government is expected to give the go-ahead to a vast new film studios alongside the Marlow by-pass at Little Marlow.
The developers say it will cost £750million, generate up to 4,000 jobs and establish this area as one of the world’s biggest film and TV production centres.
There’s already a big expansion underway at Pinewood, 20 miles away, while the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield has acquired neighbouring properties enabling it to greatly increase its teaching and production space and provide accommodation for additional students.
In its economic growth plan for the next ten years (see story above) the council waxed lyrical about how Bucks is now Britain’s Hollywood, an industry that injects £240 million a year into the local economy and employs thousands directly and indirectly.
Rather pompously it declared its aim was to “enhance Buckinghamshire’s offer as a recognised centre of augmented reality in the screen and film industry.”
So what has the council been doing since the Marlow film studio plan was first announced four years ago? Opposing it every step of the way.
Regional news
HS2 impact – The Chiltern Society’s Keith Hoffmeister has flown over the HS2 route for 21 miles from Great Missenden to Calvert to show how the railway’s construction is progressing and the impact its construction is having on the Chilterns countryside. It’s accompanied by a neutral commentary without HS2 PR-speak or political point-scoring. You can view the 25 minute video on https://youtu.be/kkbiS1IqHqg
Seeleys saved – Seeleys House in Beaconsfield, the respite care centre for adults under 65 with learning and physical disabilities, has been saved from threatened closure following a rethink by Buckinghamshire Council. Instead it is being adapted to cater for more attendees from similar centres in High Wycombe (Hillcrest) and Burnham which are closing as part of budget cuts.
Shoplifting soars – Reported shoplifting incidents rose 22 per cent in the Thames Valley Police area in the year up to April this year, but police believe this is due to an increase in reporting shoplifting rather than an increase in the crime itself. Even so, police believe a “significant amount” of retail crime remains unreported.
Pony racing plea – Penn MP Sarah Green (Lib Dem Chesham & Amersham) has asked the Government to introduce a law to regulate pony and trap racing, known as sulky racing, on public roads after an incident on the A413 Chalfont to Gerrards Cross road when a car was twice forced off the road by race support vehicles. Police said that one event on the A413 earlier this year attracted 3,000 people lining both sides of the road.
Final flypast – An RAF flypast over Wendover takes place this month to mark the passing out of RAF recruits at their Wendover base. It’s likely to be the last such flyover as the service’s recruitment and basic training centre is due to leave RAF Wendover for RAF Cranford in Lincolnshire at the end of the year. The Wendover base is due to close completely in 2027 and be converted into a housing estate.
Court backlog – The number of cases waiting to be tried at our nearest crown court at Aylesbury is over 1,000, the highest ever, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice.
Footpath delay – Officials are still to rule on an application to certify a footpath near the Royal Standard of England pub in Forty Green as an official public footpath seven years after the application was first made. Council officials said a decision report is being drafted.
Long wait – The Whielden Lane entrance to Winchmore Hill, which has had “Road Surface Failed” notices by it for three years, is due to be resurfaced next month, Penn parish council has been told.
Congestion charge – A £5 congestion charge on cars entering Oxford city centre is expected to begin this month and be in place for up to two years.
Buried treasure – This magnificent hoard of gold coins from the 16th and 17th century has been unearthed by a metal detectorist in a field at Weston Turville. The newest of them dates from 1645 – at the height of the civil war – and it’s thought the owner may have buried them for safe keeping until the outcome of the war was determined. The coins – 161 in all – are to be auctioned in small lots later this autumn.
By the way…
- Unreserved celebrations at Hazlemere and Beaconsfield golf clubs last month after Europe beat the Americans in the Ryder Cup. Luke Donald, the former Wycombe Royal Grammar School pupil who captained the European side, learnt his trade at the clubs and is rightly feted there. Surely a knighthood now for our modest local hero… if only for setting an example to rude and unsporting Americans on how to behave, win or lose.
- It was rather appropriate that another local lad should score the winning points for Europe in the Ryder Cup. Tyrrell Hatton, whose 34 this month, hails from Marlow and learned his golf as a junior at Wycombe Heights golf club.
- The wonderfully named Hard To Find Farm in Flackwell Heath wants to convert an unused barn into offices. Lord Carrington’s estate, who own it, promise new hedging and planting if they get permission… presumably making it even harder to find!
- A highlight of last month’s Henley Farm and Country Show was the Boris Johnson Challenge Cup in the heavy horse section, sponsored by the great man himself. The category: Handsomest Gelding.
You can contact this blog at peter@pennandtylersgreen.com It will be updated as necessary during October but the next full update will be on 1 November.