Student village will be too big and too high (From Bucks Free Press)

Student village will be too big and too high

9:42pm Thursday 8th May 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

RE: The granting of conditional permission by Wycombe District Council to the plans for a major student village on the former CompAir site in Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe. Buckinghamshire New University aims to build 672 rooms, and there will be 33 parking spaces plus an onsite taxi rank.

I WAS very disappointed to read the article in the BFP two weeks ago which confirmed that conditional permission had been granted to BNU for student housing on the old CompAir site.

I was shocked by the statement from one councillor which claimed that the varied objections raised by local residents, councillors and business people who will be directly affected by this decision, had been addressed sufficiently.

I attended both the February and April 08 meetings on this application at the council offices and if one thing was clear, by the show of residents/opposers at the meetings, it's that these issues HAVE NOT been satisfactorily addressed.

I fully appreciate that there is a need for student accommodation... but this is for far too many.

As a result, the buildings will stand at six/seven storeys.

This is far too high!

Coming on to the other issue which is the parking, or should I say non-parking..... well, it beggars belief! The parking in surrounding areas is already at a premium.

We were advised by the BNU representative that we residents, should the unthinkable happen and a student/visitor park outside our properties, will need to provide evidence to the BNU who will then take up the issue.

How do you provide evidence? How do you know it is a student's car? How long will it take for any action to be taken? Why should it fall to the residents to police our neighbourhoods when this ridiculous situation has been foisted upon us?

Why not put in adequate parking?

Any noise related disturbance will be eradicated apparently by on-site staff... that's that sorted then!

All of these issues will have a very real negative impact on the surrounding communities and as such permission should not be granted as it stands at present.

The only people to whom this is an acceptable proposition are those who do not reside in this area.

Tracey Slade, Telford Way, Downley

• Print
• Email
• Share