County Councillor Avril Davies.
Update, April 21st 2008.
Pitstone. Castlemead phase 2 planning application.
The most recent application for 164 houses on Castlemead came before the Strategic Development Control Committee at Aylesbury Vale District Council on April 16th. This development covers only half the area included in the masterplan for Pitstone and did not include any of the amenities required in the masterplan, as they were all designed to cluster around the village hall and recreation ground, belonging to the other parties. Instead, Taylor Wilson proposed setting aside sums of money for those amenities.
This gave the committee a dilemma, as to whether this would help or hinder the achievement of the overall plan. After listening carefully to submissions from Pitstone Parish Council, the Hawkins Trust, and Taylor Wilson, the committee reached a decision to defer and delegate approval to the officers subject to the following
That the £583,285.37 contribution to a multi-use games area and youth drop in centre be ring-fenced for use only in Pitstone.
That AVDC support Pitstone Parish and Hawkins Trust in negotiations with the Charity Commission in order to ensure the completion of the masterplan.
That £1,344,903 is provided to Bucks County Council for educational facilities (at Brookmead School)
A network of cycleways linking both phases of the development
Work to be completed by Bucks County Council and Hertfordshire County Council on a cycleway and bus service to Tring Station
Forty percent of the houses to be affordable – for both rent and part ownership - reflecting current housing needs
That private homes are built to the Eco-Homes ‘very good’ standard and the affordable units to the ‘excellent’ standard.
Outstanding contamination and drainage issues to be resolved to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency.
The layout and design of the site itself had been subject to considerable revision in response to comments from the public and the planning team, although the density of 37 dwellings per hectare is higher than the 30 originally proposed, in line with revised government guidelines on the use of brownfield land. The street layout has been designed with the rural location in mind, with varying widths to allow passing and on-street parking and a lane around the edge of the site giving access to refuse and service vehicles. There will be a variety of fences, walls and gates to reflect a typical village appearance, and the design of the houses reflects existing building in Ivinghoe and Pitstone, though for some inexplicable reason Taylor Wilson have named them ‘Kensworth’ ‘Leighton’, both in Bedfordshire, and ‘Nettleden’ in Herts!
Proposed Closure Tring Recycling Centre
Hertfordshire County Council have reviewed all their centres and are proposing to close Tring on the grounds that the Berkhamsted one used only to 50% capacity, and that half to two thirds the users of Tring are Buckinghamshire residents, costing Herts £22,000 on landfill tax at the moment, shortly to more than double. In addition there are problems with HGV access, security, space, and future expansion.
Bucks CC was not consulted on this but at my request have approached Herts to talk about it. The new Bucks site at Aston Clinton is on schedule to open next year, leaving a gap of several months where there would be no facilites open for this area. Talks are now going on between the two authorities to reach a solution to prevent this.
The fact that as Bucks residents we are not paying for the Hertfordshire facilities, and are in line to get a new and better local facility within the county boundary does not mean there are not good reasons to still keep the Tring site open. These are
Tring residents will have to travel further to dispose of their bulky items, green waste and recyclables, increasing car journeys.
The additional effort involved will reduce recycling rates and increase waste going to landfill, and flytipping.
You can write to Mr Ray Greenall, Head of Waste Management, County Hall, Hertford SG13 8DN.
BCC Speed Limit Review area 13 brought forward to 2009
Originally started in 2001 and due to be complete by 2007 the timetable for this county-wide review has ebbed and flowed according to county and government priorities, with lack of money always given as the reason for delay. Because all Counties in England must have completed full speed limit reviews by 2011, our review is now going to take place next year, with consultation in the spring, and implementation in the autumn.
County Councillor Avril Davies full news page on Bucks County Council's website can be reached on
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/moderngov/mgMiniSite.asp?UID=140