What is being proposed

Chiltern District Council jointly with South Bucks District Council have plans to extend the town and build on Green Belt agricultural land at Lye Green to the North-East of Chesham which will result in:
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  • the loss of the historic hamlet of Lye Green
  • the outward sprawl of Chesham
  • more traffic congestion in the town
  • more air and noise pollution
  • environmental damage
  • more strain on the town’s infrastructure
    • schools, GPs, sewage, drainage, roads, parking
  • loss of good farming land

​This will adversely affect EVERYONE in Chesham.
Click on maps to see area affected.
​Click here to see an extract of the emerging Local Plan proposal for allocating Green Belt Land in Lye Green for 900 homes

Brown not Green

​If you want to help protect the Green Belt and have your say on the future of Chesham you can; The Brown Not Green Campaign feel that the choice of expanding Chesham to meet housing needs is flawed. The Council should adhere to Central Government Policy, namely that any new housing should be built on brownfield sites first (i.e. unused or redundant industrial land) and that only proven exception circumstances warrants Green Belt land ever being sacrificed.

We contend the Council’s evidence so far is inconsistent, confused and that it does not demonstrate exceptional circumstances for redefining Green Belt boundaries around Chesham.

What has happened so far?

​The Brown Not Green (BNG) Campaign has amassed support from all parts of the Town.  At the beginning of December we had 1,500 names on our Petition. 
  • We have distributed thousands of leaflets around the Town,
  • We took a number of adverts in the local papers,
  • We have taken a stall in Chesham Market a couple of times to enable those without internet access to sign the physical petition,
  • We have displayed numerous signs & banners in and around the Town,
  • We have lobbied Councillors in the Town, District & County Councils and before Christmas both Chesham Town Council & Bucks County Council resolved to reject the preferred Green Belt site option 1 in Chesham,
  • Updated results from our Petition were formally handed to the Head of The Council in the Council Chamber on Tuesday, 10 January 2017.  
  • Most importantly we offered guidance to people about this matter and were able to ensure as many people as possible submitted a response by the December 12th 2016 deadline.
  • BNG have spoken to the principle landowner who wishes it to be known that he does NOT support the Council's proposals other than for a much smaller area of housing development on roughly 25% of the site.  He has confirmed he will not sell the rest of the site.  Ref:  Principle Landowner Reluctant to Sell - Brown Not Green
  • Aylesbury Vale District Council have agreed to take most of the unmet housing needs from neighbouring Chiltern, raising the question why has this Green Belt proposal not been dropped already?
  • Chiltern District Council have delayed making any public response on the matter but have launched a Strategic Review of the Green Belt proposals.
  • BNG are not impressed and are preparing to fund legal representation against the emerging Draft Local Plan and at the Planning Inquiry.  It has just been announced that BNG will host a Public Open Meeting at the Town hall on Saturday 14th October, Midday.

What can you do?