Ten thousand extra homes, a controversial overhaul of town centre roads and villages doubling in size are some of the challenges facing the district as detailed plans were revealed exclusively to the Bucks Free Press this week.
Here we take a look where council bosses plan to put thousands of new homes and what we stand to lose.
From a nightclub being demolished to swathes of land being taken out of the green belt and concreted over, Wycombe District Council this week was forced to admit: “We’ve shared the pain”.
A blueprint for the district’s future shows High Wycombe will shoulder the biggest burden, taking on about 5,200 homes while opening up previously protected land for new businesses.
Where will the homes be built?
Likewise, Princes Risborough could expand by 2,600 homes and villages across the district face huge changes, with hundreds of new properties expected to be built in areas like Hazlemere, Bourne End and Wooburn.
Head of planning and sustainability, Penelope Tollitt, said: “The negative way of saying it is we’ve shared the pain.
“But, actually what we’ve done – it may not feel like this to people directly impacted – is a completely rational process and the sites which have come out are as a result of technical studies.
“It’s not as a result of some whim.”
Tralee Farm which is currently home to abandoned nightclub The Orchard is one of dozens of sites which have been mooted for development – with the former nightspot likely to make way for between 240 and 320 homes.
Ms Tollitt pictured with cllr David Johncock.
The Amersham Road site is currently in the green belt, but if Wycombe District Council’s plan is adopted this will be removed and two large housing developments will replace it.
It is one of more than a dozen planned projects for the town, which includes building on allotments sites and former office blocks.
The village of Hazlemere is likely to be one of the major casualties of the radical housing plan, with development of The Orchard just the tip of the iceberg.
As well as ongoing talks over the potential of building hundreds of more homes next to Hazlemere Golf Club, in Penn Road, there is also long-term plans to build a new cemetery further down the road – with the town running out of space at the current sites.
Work on Terriers Farm, in Kingshill Road, is moving at a quicker pace too, with planning applications to build anywhere between 380 and 540 homes expected before the end of the year.
See this week's Bucks Free Press for a special report on the draft Local Plan.
The contentious draft Local Plan will go out for public consultation this week, with thousands of people expected to voice concerns over the changes they will see on their doorsteps.
The plan has to be delivered to government inspectors at the start of 2017 and if it fails to meet the government’s targets and requirements councillors are warning they will not be able to stop developers “wreaking havoc” in Wycombe.
In the figures coming from Westminster, WDC was told to build 15,000 new homes by 2033. This has now been revised to 10,000 new homes, with Aylesbury Vale taking on the surplus.
However, council bosses now need to support the Aylesbury Local Plan too, knowing if either district’s vision is dismissed, the control over future building will be taken out of their hands.
Councillor David Johncock, cabinet member for planning and sustainability, said: “We can criticise what’s in the plan a bit – although hopefully people won’t criticise it too much – but at the end of the day if our plan doesn’t get passed by the inspector and our plan fails, or the Aylesbury plan fails, we all fail.
“Simply, we win together or we fail.”
A big impact across Bucks
Bourne End and Wooburn:
Former green belt sites will be built on in Bourne End, with the village tasked with taking on 750 homes.
Slate Meadow has already been released for development. Other green belt sites for development include a large area of land at Hollands Farm.
Princes Risborough:
About 2,600 homes have been planned for the town, despite widespread concerns from residents.
In total, Princes Risborough looks likely to take on a quarter of the housing need in the district.
There will also be new sites for jobs and a relief road, if the Local Plan is approved.
Marlow:
About 300 homes and business improvements planned for town.
Seymour Court Road - plans to release a small site from the green belt for a few homes.
Oak Tree Road - more green belt land could be taken for housing.
Rural villages:
More than 1,000 homes could be built across south Bucks villages, including Stokenchurch, Lane End, Naphill and Longwick.
The latter is expected to double in size, with four projects currently being planned.
RAF Walters Ash could also be removed from the green belt.
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To view the plans in full, or to tell the council your thoughts on the vision for Wycombe, go to wycombe.gov.uk
The Bucks Free Press would also like to hear what you think about the draft Local Plan. Have your say by commenting below or emailing andrew.colley@london.newsquest.co.uk
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