Tralee Farm Hazlemere development inquiry decides future of community

The future of Tralee Farm in Hazlemere lies in the hands of a Government planning inspector following a five-day public inquiry last week.

Inland Homes wants to build 103 homes in Wycombe Road – directly behind Dean Way.

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Bellway Homes is also planning to build 290 homes between Tralee Farm and Orchard End Farm, but residents have voiced major fears about the impact it will have on Hazlemere and Holmer Green.

In 1987 Chiltern District Council binned plans to build six houses in Dean Way amid fears increased traffic would lead to dangerous conditions on nearby roads.

Susan Jamson, whose garden backs on to the farmland, has urged Buckinghashire District Council (CDC) to reject the appeal from the developers.

Susan has fought against the development of the land (Image: Newsquest)

Speaking on behalf of the Hazlemere Neighbourhood Development Focus Group, she said: "Developing a site in Hazlmere but calling it Holmer Green has been confusing for us. The name periurban to us is confusing as our village doesn’t look anything like this. We are clearly located in the countryside our residents have been fighting to retain.

"The entrance needs to have pavements, cycle path and a road that can take cars, delivery vehicles and emergency vehicles without putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk.

"Tralee Farm only has a single access, a second emergency access would be vital therefore would be vital for the southern portion to have a comprehensive development plan. We felt relieved when both [developers] showed their emergency access be it in different locations and not aligned and in an empty field bound by concrete barriers on the A404.

"We will get development but hope it will be the right development respecting the green belt that has been removed to have these homes. We want to see as well designed site that will be welcomed by existing residents and new people."

One angry resident objecting to the plans said he would be "very disappointed" if the plans were approved as the plans will have a detrimental impact on an already stretched doctor's surgery.

Simon Jones, Chair of the Holmer Green Village Society, said: "Our primary concerns are the effects on residents of our village. Initially from the influx of people from over 100 houses using their cars to access the congested roads of Holmer Green. Then, we are also concerned about the additional impact of a further 268 houses from the next developments who will all only have one walking and cycling exit through the narrow road, with minimal visibility and tight corners into our village.

"We do not believe anyone has considered just how congested this junction will be with over 368 households (more than a small village) using 1 narrow road to exit on foot or by cycling."

"As previously stated, if this appeal is agreed, the specific issue of Separation, or rather the complete lack of it through most areas of this proposal, will be used both as a legal precedent in other cases and as a ‘green light’ to completely subsume villages like Holmer Green into their larger neighbours.

"Hazlemere will subsume Holmer Green and then be subsumed by High Wycombe itself. Other villages will follow as the ‘domino effect’ of the lack of a need for meaningful Separation is lost.

"Urban sprawl, specifically mentioned in Government policy as something to be avoided, will not only happen, it will be encouraged and enabled."

The appellant, Inland Homes, argues that the HS8 plan is "wholly complied with."

Adding: "The most doubty opponent of this sceheme is how difficult it is to see the site from public view points. This underlies how it provides separation between the two settlementsas Hazlmere and Holmer Green are physically connected. The policy sets pace making requirements to provide sense of separation through the layout of the site. I know from policy wording that identifies how, which enables different design approaches to meet this."

Holmer Green Village Society, however, argue that "the appellants assertions that Separation does not matter, that residents will be served locally by services that do not exist or do not have the capacity to accommodate them are simply wrong."

Inland Homes declined to comment.

Bellway Homes was also approached for a comment but they did not respond.