DOMINIC Grieve has voiced his concerns over the possible development of green space currently separating Bourne End and Wooburn Green.

Former green belt land Slate Meadow, has been included in Wycombe District Council’s Local Plan of areas they have earmarked for possible development.

Although the MP and Attorney General admitted the district has difficult issues to consider he said he would rather not see it built on.

He said: “Slate Meadow is a big issue. This has been around for a long time. When I was elected in 1997 was the first attempt on Slate Meadow and it was pushed off.

“It was taken out of the green belt in the mid 90s and developers backed off because the level of public resistance.

“I do think Slate Meadow is important. It’s a strategic gap between Bourne End and the Wooburns. It’s valued by the local community and it could be even nicer if it were in permanent public use.”

The current plan, which could see a possible 175 homes built on the land which is also a flood plain, has received heavy objections from a campaign group.

The Save Slate Meadow group is currently petitioning the council to have the site removed from their reserved development list and they so far have had over 1000 signatures.

MP Grieve said: “If it’s used for housing then it’s a ribbon development that runs continuously down the Wye Valley.

“I would much rather see it not built on but I recognise that the district has a lot of difficult issues to consider.

“I will try to ensure that local views are made known to the district but I’m in no doubt about the level of public concern about it.”

Discussing the whole Local Plan the MP said he is aware of the fact WDC are short of land.

He said: “I’m sympathetic to the problems the District Council has. It is short of land to develop.

“If Wycombe is to develop economically you can’t just push all the development out to Princes Risborough so there’s going to have to be some thinking and I’m afraid with the population growing there’s going to be some pressures.”