A new plan for 52 homes in Buckinghamshire was met with objection following concern for local health care’s ability to cope with extra pressure.
The Preston Hill development in Chesham proposes to build 52 brand new one, two and three-bedroom homes along Nashleigh Hill on brownfield land.
The new proposal comes after the previous planning application for the same site by Hightown Housing Association was refused in December 2020.
One objection to the plan came from the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB), who look after delivery of NHS strategy locally.
The health care body cited “insufficient primary medical care capacity locally” if around 125 expected new patients from the proposed homes required care from Water Meadow, New, Glade and Little Chalfont Practices, which forms the Chesham and Little Chalfont Primary Care Network.
Buckinghamshire lead primary care manager Fergus Campbell said: “This development will put increasing pressure on the practices’ infrastructure.
“The effects of developments can be significant.
“In the majority of cases, primary care services are already operating under extreme pressure and physical constraints, such as lack of space hamper the delivery of additional services.”
The health care leaders vowed to seek financial contribution from the developer “if this development is to go ahead.”
BOB ICB estimated the developer needs to pay the care board £57,635 for 8.2 square meters of additional space at the local clinic to allow for the additional patients created by the development.
If successful, the development will see a mix of affordable and shared ownership apartments and houses with a large central amenity space, private gardens, parking and surrounding landscaping on the former Haresfoot Brewery warehouse site.
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Vincent and Gorbing architects said: “The proposed development will allow unsightly buildings to be removed and provide residential housing in keeping with the surrounding area whilst reducing the amount of large commercial vehicles potentially servicing the site.
“The redevelopment of this under-utilised brownfield site will provide much needed housing and reduced pressure on the greenbelt and AONB which surrounds the Borough.”
All images courtesy of Vincent and Gorbing/Hightown Housing Association
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