CRCIC consider that ignoring the Chesham Masterplan, both for Chesham and as a model for other town centres, is unjustified, inconsistent with national guidance and ineffective. It therefore renders the Emerging Local Plan unsound and a missed opportunity.
You can make your views known before 23 August by letter which should be sent to:
Planning Policy Team, King George V House, Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5AW
or by email sent to planning.policy@chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk.
Some comments that you might consider are given below:
I think that the draft Local Plan is unsound because it ignores a masterplan which has been available for a long time, better meets government guidelines, has the support of the community and there has been no consultation on the draft.
The draft Local plan is unsound because all the current infrastructure in Chesham is inadequate and there is no detail or costing in the Infrastructure Delivery Schedule to show how the current situation will be improved, let alone accommodate additional dwellings.
The draft Local Plan is unsound because housing sites have been identified through a ‘call for sites’, rather than an assessment of sites across the whole Plan area. Planning policies should give substantial weight to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements for homes and other identified needs.