People were turned away from a packed meeting on the emerging joint local plan in Beaconsfield on Friday night, prompting resident groups to criticise the organisation of the event.  

Beaconsfield Town Council hosted a public meeting on February 5 for residents to find out more about the joint local plan that South Bucks and Chiltern District Councils are preparing.

The councils are currently consulting residents on different options to meet housing needs in the districts as they will need to find space for 15,100 houses over the next 20 years – meaning significant areas of Green Belt land around towns like Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross and Amersham could be developed on.

However, the meeting was so popular, some residents had to be turned away at the door for fire and health and safety reasons.

Pete Foster, general secretary of Beaconsfield Old Town Residents Association, said that while people were warned that space was limited, it was ‘strange’ to see councillors sat in the audience in the meeting which could have been taken by residents.

He said: “Broadly speaking, it was a good presentation but there were some gripes about the organisation of the event.

“There were quite a few elderly folks there whose hearing is not as good and there was no PA system, so lots of people could not hear what was being said.

“That was obviously a bit annoying for residents who had come out on a stormy night and were turned away. Perhaps the council could have left the doors open so people could listen outside.

“It is a small room but when there are lots of people inside, it is difficult for people to hear what is going on. It has been suggested to the council that they use a PA system next time.

“It seemed like a lot of what was presented was what was on the website anyway, but I am glad a meeting took place.”

A resident at the meeting got in touch with the BFP and said: “It seems regrettable that the hall only is allowed 70 people by fire regulations so no more than 67 could have attended.

“Because there was no adequate sound of speakers or questioners for probably a third in the back of the room, one lady said the meeting was undemocratic.”

Local Plan Watch, a group set up by chairman of the Beaconsfield Society, Mike Elliott, and BOTRA chair, Sandy Saunders, took to Twitter to ask town mayor, John Read, to “please provide a sound system for bigger meetings as many couldn't hear the presentations.” 

John Read, Beaconsfield mayor, said the requests for a sound system had been noted and that councillors were at the meeting because “they are residents as well, and it is important that they had the opportunity to see the presentation.”