If you install an electricity-generating technology from a renewable or low-carbon source such as solar photovoltaic panels, the government’s Feed-In Tariff Scheme (FIT) could mean you receive money from your energy supplier. You can be paid for the electricity you generate, even if you use it yourself, and for any surplus electricity you export to the grid. And of course you’ll also save money on your electricity bill, because you’ll be using your own electricity. There has been a lot of interest in the scheme, but the question has arisen as to whether or not planning permission is required. We can confirm after discussions with the Wycombe Planning Office that there is a presumption to allow solar panels as long as the proposal fits certain criteria which are detailed in the government’s Planning Portal. Properties which are “listed” or are in a conservation area (not to be confused with AONB) such as Great Hampden or West Wycombe will still need to apply for planning permission.
The HVRA Planning Sub-Committee has sent details of a useful tool on the Government’s Planning Portal. The ‘The Planning Portal’ allows you to click on possible home improvements on the interactive house to see what does and does not require planning permission. Hughenden Valley is within an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” (AONB), often referred to in the portal as a “designated area” and there are several instances within the portal where you will need to take note of the special requirements. The Wycombe District Council website also has information and guidance.
Wycombe District Council are holding a Planning Consultation that runs until Friday 14th October. This gives residents an opportunity to learn about and respond to the Council’s latest proposals including further regeneration of the town centre. Full details are on WDC’s website here.
Lord Oakshott (LibDem peer) recently raised concern in a TV interview about the apparent dismissal by some Government Ministers of the comments/opposition by the National Trust to the easing of planning regulations and referring to the organisation as left-leaning. The National Trust is completely independent of Government and has more members than any of the political parties. It represents what most of us love about our countryside and national heritage and is a voice that needs to be heard when it comes to the beliefs of its 3.6 million members.
To find out more about the concerns of the National Trust on the “presumed right to build” issue and to decide whether you wish to complete the petition asking the government to reconsider proposals please follow this link.
Similar concerns have been raised by the CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England). See their website.
If you agree with the petition please do act and also let your friends and family know. Don’t assume that others will do it. That happened with the HS2 on line questionnaire when only 44,000 households out of 26 million in the UK objected to the HS2 project and the Government then assumed that 99.8% of households must have no objection.
At their meeting last night, Hughenden Parish Council dropped their plan to build Rural Affordable Housing on Green Belt and AONB land in Warrendene Road, Hughenden Valley. The Council’s press release says:
“Hughenden Parish Council has now received the results of the Parish-wide Housing Needs Survey that was commissioned from Community Impact Bucks. This was a robust consultation exercise carried out to establish whether there is a need for rural affordable housing in the Parish, and to find out the views of local residents. The results show:-
a) There is some need for rural affordable homes in Hughenden Parish
b) Rural affordable housing in principle is supported by just under 50% of respondents
c) 80% of respondents are against any development in the GB/AONB
In summary, there is sufficient need to justify a small development but this idea cannot be pursued furthe because there is not enough support within the community for it to be possible to use the Rural Exception Site scheme.
The Council passed the following motion at its meeting on 8th March 2011:- The Parish Council accepts the results of the Housing Needs Survey carried out at its request by Community Impact Bucks, and their recommendations. This consultation process shows that, while some need for affordable housing has been established, there is insufficient community support for a small development using Green Belt/AONB land. This Parish Council will not, therefore, proceed further with a Rural Exception Site scheme. The Parish Council recognizes the strength of opposition to any use of green belt/AONB land. Just over 900 survey forms were returned (27% of households) and these show that some 80% of residents responding were opposed to even a small development.
Hughenden Parish Council has a responsibility to try to serve all its residents. It is for this reason that it went through the lengthy consultation process currently required for the use of a Rural Exception Site Scheme. The Council considers the outcome of the consultation exercise to be a reflection of feelings in the Parish, expressed through a democratic consultation process. Parish Councillors (who are non political elected volunteers) have a genuine desire to try to serve those village residents who are not home owners. It is unfortunate that this has led some residents to try to undermine confidence in the Council itself. Now that a decision has been made, the Council trusts that relationships with local residents can be rebuilt.”
According to their website, Hughenden Parish Council are due to debate the following motion at their meeting on 8th March: “The Parish Council accepts the results of the Housing Needs Survey carried out at its request by Community Impact Bucks, and their recommendations. This consultation process shows that, while a need for affordable housing has been established, there is insufficient community support for a small development using Green Belt/AONB land. This Parish Council will not, therefore, proceed further with a Rural Exception Site scheme.”
Hughenden Parish Council website
Housing Needs Survey Report
Respondents’ comments
Hughenden Valley Residents Association is a proud member of Groups Against the Stadium Proposals as we believe in supporting others in protecting the Green Belt from development. GASP describe themselves as:
“GASP is a focal body made up of groups, associations, societies and individuals who share a common belief that the stadium proposals on Green Belt land at Booker Airfield are wrong. By bringing everyone together resources from within each subscribing body/group can be pooled to maximise effect. We thus have working groups. For instance we have a fund raising group, a marketing group, an infrastructure group, people looking specifically at the business case and the list goes on. We are NOT against rugby or football far from it – a significant proportion of WWFC members are fully behind us.”
The next full GASP meeting will be held on Friday 25th February 19:30 at Booker Memorial Hall.
The GASP website is at www.gasp-no-org.
Here’s a copy of the most recent Planning Sub-Committee Report (Autumn 2010)
with updates on Rural Affordable Housing, HS2, The Harrow, Greenacres, Binders Yard, and cat’s eyes and a chemical smell on the A4128.
- Dory Morgan, Rosemary Hewitt and Paul Cawte
Most of you will have received a copy of the Hughenden Parish Council Housing Needs Survey.
If you have other members of your household who wish to make their views known we suggest you contact the HPC Clerk (email hughendenpc@btconnect.com) for further copies.
You should also have a copy of the HVRA leaflet designed to assist you in filling in the HPC questionnaire. If you have mislaid your copy you can view it here.
From PC Lee Turnham
In order to build a case it is vital that residents continue to lodge complaints with the police regarding lorry parking problems and any other related issues. It is important that when doing so residents use the following procedure:
Call Thames Valley Police on 08458 505 505
Quote URN 407 of the date 07/05/2010
Give details of the vehicle registration numbers, company, time, date, etc.
If the problem is occurring at the time of the call, quoting the URN number etc. will open the log and the details will be locked in the log; and if there is a unit available to attend (24/7) they will deal with the problem in a robust manner and issue tickets should any breach of law occur.