[HTS-members] Local Plan submission and news

Tue Mar 8 14:51:41 GMT 2016

Local Plan submission

Feathers pub signage

Brownies open again

The Local Plan Consultation period closes on March 14th.

If you wish to make a personal submission, a form is available on the SBDC
website at:

http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=7772
<http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=7772&p=0> &p=0 (WORD
format)

http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=7773
<http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=7773&p=0> &p=0 (PDF
format)

Most of the information that directly affects Taplow is on the Society
website at:

http://www.taplowsociety.org.uk/twiki/bin/view/Main/NLPTaplowElements

The Society is submitting the following comment:

Consultation on the emerging Local Plan 19th January 2016 -14th March 2016

The Hitcham and Taplow Society comments as follows. The Society has been in
existence for over 50 years. It has a main objective to ensure that all
development within the district is of the highest standard and preserves the
quality of the environment.  It represents a significant proportion of the
residents of Taplow.

Our comments are limited to matters directly affecting the immediate areas
of Hitcham and Taplow.

Identified Opportunity sites:

The two areas of Mill Lane and Institute Road are developments that are
already under way and as such need no further comment in this context. The
housing numbers involved show that Taplow is already making a
disproportionate contribution to the projected Local Plan housing need.

SB0063 Land South of Taplow Station

We assume that this is bounded to the south by the A4. Although this is part
of Green Belt parcel 90, it is heavily affected by its location between the
railway and the A4. As such we are not opposed to its further evaluation. If
the description is meant to encompass land south of the A4 we are in
complete opposition to any re-evaluation. This land is an essential barrier
to the merging of Slough and Maidenhead conurbations and must be strongly
protected. (See comments below on Green Belt parcel evaluations).

SB0296 Bishop's Gate, Station Road, Taplow

Again, the definition is weakly made. We assume that it refers only to the
land south of the railway, north of the A4 and east of Station Road. This
land is already industrialised and we have no objection to its further
evaluation.

SB0297 Marsh Lane, Taplow

This opportunity area is very poorly defined. However, it sits completely
within Green Belt parcel 90 and has no industrial or commercial activities
other than some agriculture related business, together with a classic
collection of cottages and modest houses and the Thames Valley Adventure
Playground. We consider it totally unsuitable for any form of development.
It is a classic barrier keeping Maidenhead and Slough apart. It should be
removed from the list.

Green Belt Parcel Evaluations

We have significant concerns over the published evaluations of the Green
Belt parcels within the Taplow and Hitcham areas.

It is fundamentally wrong to publish a set of evaluations without the
criteria and methodologies used to produce them. The criteria must have been
in existence before the studies could have been made. It raises the concern
that these ratings may have been influenced by anticipated planning
intentions.  Of most particular concern in this matter is the evaluation of
parcel 90. In the view of our Society (and we believe the Parish Council)
this parcel is fundamental to the prime Green Belt function of separating
towns. As such, we have seen it for some time as most under threat of
creeping erosion. To see it only given a score of 3 for this function (in
the absence of published criteria) can only lead to the suspicion that it is
targeted for change. The adjacent parcel 73 is given 5 although fairly
clearly under no such threat. Parcel 90 should be elevated to a score of 5.

The absence of published criteria means that our criticism is qualitative,
whereas to be properly effective it should have a quantitative component for
the parcel evaluations.

To our understanding, the next public consultation on the Plan in autumn
2016 is likely to contain the actual full plan for approval and therefore
contain many decisions based on the parcel scores. This is quite wrong. We
accept that HM Government pressures in effect require councils to
re-evaluate the Green Belt. This is always going to be a contentious issue
and the developers of the Local Plan should have taken much firmer steps to
ensure that the debate is as transparent as possible. The present
consultation does not achieve this.

An objection to signage at "The Feathers" inn.

16/00297/ADV | 1 Non-illuminated post sign. | The Feathers Taplow Common
Road Burnham Buckinghamshire SL1 8NS

The Hitcham and Taplow Society objects to this application.

This car park sign is completely unnecessary - access to the car park is
perfectly clear without it. The sign adds to roadside clutter - in contrast
to the view shown in the accompanying English Heritage document.

The signage is out of keeping with its historical setting opposite Cliveden.

We also point out that the applicants do not have permission for the current
main sign board for the Feathers. The English Heritage picture clearly shows
the correct Prince of Wales Feathers and consent for a sign of this style
was explicitly granted under  11/01246/LBC, whereas the applicants have
replaced this with some modernist concoction again quite out of character.
They should be required to revert to the approved sign or submit another
application for change. The historical context for "Prince of Wales
Feathers" is particularly strong for this particular inn.

By 1780, the inn had been renamed The Three Feathers as a nod to the
heraldic badge of King George III's eldest son Frederick, Prince of Wales
(who lived at Cliveden 1739/51).  

Throughout its evolution, the inn continued to celebrate this royal
connection in its name and its sign as it was partially rebuilt and extended
to be noted in 1847 as The Prince of Wales Feathers and since before 1851 as
simply The Feathers.

 Thus the image of the Prince of Wales' feathers has been embedded for
perhaps 240 years in the history of not only the inn but also of Cliveden
and of Taplow.

1ST TAPLOW AND HITCHAM BROWNIES

After a short temporary closure 1st Taplow and Hitcham Brownies is re
opening on Thursday April 14th 2016. Meetings are held at Taplow Guide Hut,
Institute Road, Taplow, SL6 0NS from 6pm to 7.30pm during term time.

Age range for Brownies is 7years to 10years.

For further details please contact:

Susan Silver Brownie Guider by E Mail

silver626 at btinternet.com <mailto:silver626 at btinternet.com> 

Roger Worthington, secretary

07787556309

This mail has been sent to you from the Hitcham and Taplow Society. If has
been sent to you in error or you do not wish to receive such communications,
please reply to secretary at taplowsociety.org.uk
<mailto:secretary at taplowsociety.org.uk>  and we will remove you.

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