Meeting documents

The report before Cabinet set out the consultation that has taken place in relation to the Terriers Farm Development Brief and provided an assessment of the consultation responses received during the most recent consultation period.

The development brief has been drawn up following extensive work analysing the planning issues and opportunities for future development in this area which was conditionally released as a housing site under policy H2 of the Wycombe District Local Plan to 2011 and was reserved for development within the Council’s Core Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for Planning wished to place on record the skilled chairing of the Liaison Group meetings by Councillor Matt Knight, whilst the options considered and chosen in respect of the two entrances / exits to the site onto the A404 were outlined.

Again Members received clarification on a number of issues:

·         Amendments were to be made to the final brief in respect of the landscaping at the boundary of the Ladies Mile and the North / South corridor, establishing this layout of this important green infrastructure ahead of development;

·         Strict implementation of the Council’s policy in respect of affordable housing within the development would be carried out;

·         The history of ownership of the cricket pitch / green space areas and the plans within the brief for these were outlined; and

·         Acknowledgement that the Brief represented a balance between the development of much needed housing alongside equal emphasis on the protection of the green infrastructure so loved by residents.

The Cabinet Member for Planning asked that delegated authority again be given to the Head of Planning to proof read the Development Brief before final publication in respect of minor editorial changes and corrections.

Again the Cabinet Member placed on record his thanks for the work of officers and the Liaison Group members in delivering this important document.

The following decision was made as this land at Terriers Farm was reserved for future development under the Council’s Core Strategy. Cabinet had previously agreed that the reserve sites needed to be released for development to meet the current development needs of the District, particularly for housing. In this case the Brief not only covered the released reserved site but also additional land considered necessary and appropriate to be included within the brief to secure an appropriate form of development.

The development brief contained detailed planning guidance that would be a material consideration when planning decisions were made on planning applications in this area.  The guidance was site specific and therefore more detailed than the current policy framework in the Development Plan. The brief would help co-ordinate future development and the provision of infrastructure.  It would therefore be important to the quality of the final development to have in place this up-to-date development brief.

RESOLVED That (i) the Terriers Farm Development Brief be adopted as planning guidance for the area with the 2 changes to the paragraphs on Green Infrastructure as presented by the Cabinet Member the precise wording to be delegated to the Head of Planning and Sustainability; and

(ii) delegated authority also be given to the Head of Planning to proof read and amend the Development Brief before final publication in respect of minor editorial changes and corrections.