'Garden grabbing' fear for residents over homes plan (From Bucks Free Press)

'Garden grabbing' fear for High Wycombe residents over homes plan

8:50am Monday 30th August 2010 in News By Andy Carswell

WORRIED residents are concerned at the impact a planned housing development could have on a High Wycombe street – saying it is another example of 'garden grabbing'.

Plans to build a new house onto the side of a home in Hughenden Avenue have been met with strong opposition from neighbours, with dozens sending letters of objection to Wycombe District Council.

If the plans are given the go-ahead, a three-bedroom house with attached car park would be built onto the side of a house on the corner with Kelvin Close.

But neighbours John and Yvonne Crayden say it will severely impact on residents of Hughenden Avenue and Kelvin Close, and they raised particular concerns about building on the garden of their next-door property.

The retired couple, who have lived in the same house for 35 years, set up a petition amongst residents protesting the plans, with 52 having signed it so far.

Mr Crayden, 62, said: “It's the fact it's being built on a garden – they are for growing trees and vegetables and for children to play in.

“They are going to take down a nice cherry tree. It's a crying shame they are going to take that down just to put a couple of cars in the garden.”

He said the planned building would be “out of character for the area” and look “absolutely awful”.

Retired engineer Mr Crayden said neighbouring homes would have “a great big building in front of them”.

Wife Yvonne said: “We don't feel there's enough land for a new building.

“It's going to increase the amount of traffic on the corner here and there will be problems with the drains. The parking is going to be absolutely horrendous.

“We've had a lot of building work up here and people are so fed up with it.”

A previous application to build two separate flats onto the side of the house was rejected by Wycombe District Council.

Mrs Crayden, a former hairdresser, said she was concerned at 'garden grabbing' after reading about similar plans affected Wooburn Green residents (see link to previous story, below).

The plans are due to be discussed by Wycombe District Council's planning committee on September 8.