Council Planning Meeting this Wednesday, May 15th

Chiltern District Council are meeting this Wednesday, May 15th to discuss and approve the Publication Version of the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan.

This is despite the fact there being no further evidence work that BNG had been promised by the Planning Department around the area of:
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• Sustainability
• Traffic generation
• "Exceptional Circumstances" as required by the National Planning Policy Framework.
  
  

​From our understanding the District Councillors have not been made aware of any further evidence around these areas.  If they have, they are keeping it quiet.   BNG cannot understand how they will be able to approve publication of a Local Plan that removes the fields to the North-East of Chesham, known as Lye Green, without first seeing this crucial evidence.  If there is evidence that is being held back, BNG feel it would be a cynical ploy for the Council to dump it all on the Evidence Base at the last minute to thwart our efforts to properly scrutinise it before the end of the 6-week Consultation Period.

Sadly, our efforts to communicate with all our District Councillors have been met with a stony wall of silence, something we as a campaign group will be considering when recommending which Councillors to vote for in the upcoming Unitary Council elections,   The Councillors who have been genuinely helpful to our cause are in the absolute minority.  There has been a shameful lack of acknowledgement to our efforts to communicate with them from our elected Councillors and this will not be overlooked next time their names appear on the ballot paper.

For this reason it is essential we have as many supporters as possible attend this meeting that is open to the public at the:
Council Chamber, King George V House, King George V Road, Amersham
The meeting starts at 6.30pm, on Wednesday May 15th.
Full details click here

As well as attending the meeting, we also now need everyone to write to their local District Councillor.  Letters are better, emails are OK, both is best.  A template letter and instructions can be found by clicking here.  We, at BNG, cannot stress enough to our supporters that we have as many people as possible at that meeting and also writing letters and emails to their Councillors.  Please spread the word and let's make some noise.

Further Action To Take

If you live on land bordering the Greenbelt under threat or are a habitual user of the fields and woodland for recreational purposes like walking. etc. please also see our pages:

• Asset of Community Value
• Gate Owners' Prescriptive Rights
• Public Rights of Way

​You can still legally play a key role in protecting our Greenbelt just from your everyday activities.  Again, this requires urgent action so please click the links above.

Thanks again to everyone in our continuing support.   We are getting to the "business end of the season" in this fight to protect our Greenbelt.  If everyone does a little bit, we will be far more powerful than a few doing a lot.

​The BNG Team