High Heavens plan 'worse than stadium' (From Bucks Free Press)
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High Heavens plan 'worse than stadium'
10:21am Monday 30th January 2012 in Politics By James Nadal
Martin Blunkell from the Marlow Society, Buckinghamshire County Councillor Bob Woollard, Great Marlow Parish Council Chairman Brian Jonson and Councillor Jan Pritchard
THE expansion of High Heavens will have just as much impact, if not more, on residents as the now axed community stadium would have done, a dismayed councillor believes.
As the possibility of the plan being called in by the Government was raised, Great Marlow Parish Councillor Jan Pritchard, a former Labour Parliamentary candidate, lambasted it.
She joined with senior Tory Buckinghamshire County Councillor Bob Woollard in calling for people to make their voices heard.
See related articles below for more details on the proposal.
Cllr Pritchard said the rubbish tip plans share's the same road, traffic and over development issues that existed with the new ground proposal for Wycombe Wanderers and Wasps, which would have been built directly opposite.
“It will have just as much, if not a bigger impact, on the day to day lives of the people in the area,” she said.
“It's going to be unbearable and I despair for them.
“I'm not happy with it at all, it's just not conducive for the expansion that they are looking for.
“I get a bit concerned that the powers that be put on their blinkers.
“I can see that it fits their requirements but they are not prepared to look to the wider implications for the area.
“It's very worrying.”
She added the parish council had been 'totally ignored' by County Hall.
Cllr Bob Woollard is hoping the Secretary of State decides to call in the decision, which he could, because the site is Green Belt land.
“The Secretary of State is able to intervene, the public will no doubt be aware of this and once they wake up to it, they can make their voices heard,” he said.
“The battle is not over.
“You can’t win them all but we defended against the stadium, with hundreds of people acting in unison, so why not again?”
Cllr Woollard said the plan for the 2,428m gross building is a “stadium on a smaller scale” and hit out at highways officials for not developing the road network around Booker, Cressex and Sands after earmarking the site.
Great Marlow Parish Council Chairman Brian Jonson added: “Bob and I feel very unhappy that the views of the residents have been completely ignored.”
WRG’s bid director Dan Murphy said: “At every stage of the process we have actively sought to listen to and work with residents and community groups regarding our proposals.
“We are conscious that some people have had concerns and the committee’s decision in our favour confirms that the plans we submitted are robust and will deliver a fit-for-purpose and value-for-money integrated solution.”
Comments(5)
gpn01
says...
8:18am Tue 31 Jan 12
bucksjonny wrote:I would imagine the people who'll have lorries rumbling past at a rate of one per minute won't be too happy. If local infrastructure is expanded to properly cope with traffic volumes then I'd expect people who who lose their homes through ompulsory purchase won't be too pleased either.
Is it not time that a whole new look is taken with an open mind, to building a surrounding infrastructure that can cope with this? It is obviously a required public asset development for the area, and in this case, no one can accuse the project as being developed for private gain. It can only benefit the people of Wycombe and surrounding areas i.e. to all our advantage. Who would want to stand in the way of that?
washondo
says...
12:10pm Tue 31 Jan 12
bucksjonny wrote:How are they currently coping with the waste? Development to keep the BCC planners working, since there are a dozen empty barns on suitable highways which could quite readily be used. Waste of money.
Is it not time that a whole new look is taken with an open mind, to building a surrounding infrastructure that can cope with this? It is obviously a required public asset development for the area, and in this case, no one can accuse the project as being developed for private gain. It can only benefit the people of Wycombe and surrounding areas i.e. to all our advantage. Who would want to stand in the way of that?
TheHorsesMouth
says...
10:16pm Tue 31 Jan 12
...
The infrastructure needs to be uprated to cater for all the lorries. The extra ones rumbling along every few minutes (3-4!), linked with the dust dirt and debris kicked up along the route. I would like to be along Cressex Road or John Hall Way.
...
Instead of blighting all these homes couldn't a gravel road be laid from the M40 to the high heavens waste site to take all the lorries only? Single track with either traffic lights or radio control to manage the flow of heavy vehicles?
...
Even that idea seems a waste of money and green belt considering they just need a large barn or warehouse to transfer the waste. It is just a break of bulk point in reverse, sort of like a mini railway goods yard for lorries! It takes 3 or so dust carts to fill one HGV. It's not hard.
TheHorsesMouth
says...
10:16pm Tue 31 Jan 12
...
The infrastructure needs to be uprated to cater for all the lorries. The extra ones rumbling along every few minutes (3-4!), linked with the dust dirt and debris kicked up along the route. I would like to be along Cressex Road or John Hall Way.
...
Instead of blighting all these homes couldn't a gravel road be laid from the M40 to the high heavens waste site to take all the lorries only? Single track with either traffic lights or radio control to manage the flow of heavy vehicles?
...
Even that idea seems a waste of money and green belt considering they just need a large barn or warehouse to transfer the waste. It is just a break of bulk point in reverse, sort of like a mini railway goods yard for lorries! It takes 3 or so dust carts to fill one HGV. It's not hard.
bucksjonny says...
8:27pm Mon 30 Jan 12