A new Neighbourhood plan will soon take next steps following a round of consultations with more than 1,500 responses.
Chesham Town Council said they will release more details on the new regeneration plan called the Chesham Neighbourhood Plan.
If adopted, the new plan means future development in the town will focus on using sites like brownfield land instead of extending on the Green Belt.
Councillor and chair of the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan working group Nick Southworth said: “After a number of years spent working on a Neighbourhood Plan for Chesham and following initial consultation with residents last year, we are delighted to be sharing our draft plan with residents across the town.
“Rather than responding to events and circumstances that are outside of our control, Chesham Town Council thinks that it is time that the people of Chesham decide the future of our town, to protect our green belt and to be ambitious for our community too. Having a Neighbourhood Plan is a key way of ensuring that.”
What is the Chesham Neighbourhood Plan?
The proposed draft plan will provide a framework for deciding on planning applications in Chesham until 2036.
Also under the plan, developers are required to provide a higher 25 percent rate Community Infrastructure Levy contribution designed to fund local infrastructure and community projects.
READ MORE: Beaconsfield A355 road closure after multi vehicle crash
To create housing and employment opportunities, the Town Council is proposing to create four Neighbourhood Plan Development Orders (NDO) covering 19 brownfield sites in the Town Centre, The Yards, Waterside and Newtown, including use of vacant plots, car parks and old industrial and office buildings.
Councillor Rachael Matthews said: “Regenerating Chesham by prioritising brownfield land has been a key part of our strategy at Buckinghamshire Council, and after a number of years spent working together, I am really pleased to see that Chesham Town Council have now taken the next step in progressing the Chesham Neighbourhood Plan.
"Neighbourhood Plans are about so much more than housing – they are an opportunity to create a vision for our town covering important priorities such as how we respond to climate change, how we support our businesses and generate inward investment, how we create more job opportunities and how we ensure that our communities remain healthy."
The draft proposal comes after more than 1,500 residents took part in the first round of consultation in the spring of last year.
Chesham Town Council then secured levelling up funding from the government, which was used to commission a bespoke urban design map and toolkit from Create Streets consultancy.
Residents, businesses and community groups can have their say during consultation events held in the coming months.
Chesham Town Council said they will release more details soon.
Disclaimer: An earlier version of this story stated that residents can have their say on plans. This has since been changed to reflect clarity from Chesham Town Council that this was not the case.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here