22/07/2023
Dear Supporter,
We need your help! Time is short!
It has come to our notice that a planning application for change of use to a nursery has been filed for The Swan.
The application can be found here:
https://pa.chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RXQVCSESHM600
PL/23/2287/HB Listed building change of use to nursery
The SOS team have been trying to maintain continued and open negotiations with the current owners but have been met with deflection and silence.
We need your support to object to the latest planning application in the strongest possible way.
Previously the application for change of use to a nursery was rejected by the council on the following basis:
1) The proposed development, by virtue of its use and location, would involve an impractical, inadequate and unsafe scheme of parking provision for the proposed nursery use such that it would result in conditions of danger and inconvenience to the users of the proposed nursery and other users of the surrounding rural road network in general. The proposal is therefore contrary to policies TR15 and TR16 contained in the Chiltern District Local Plan Adopted 1 September 1997 (including alterations adopted 29 May 2001) Consolidated September 2007 and November 2011.
2) By virtue of the location of the proposed nursery use and its relationship to surrounding properties, it is considered that the scheme would result in significant harm to the residential amenities enjoyed by the occupants of the surrounding residential properties arising from not only the proposed nursery use itself but also by virtue of the nature and level of traffic generation associated with that use. The proposal is therefore contrary to policies GC3 and GC7 contained in the Chiltern District Local Plan Adopted 1 September 1997 (including alterations adopted 29 May 2001) Consolidated September 2007 and November 2011 and the National Planning Policy Framework (February 2019).
The reasons for refusal have not changed and are still the same as per the first application; in fact given the increase in traffic throughout the local area and the village since the first refusal the reasons stated above have even more relevance.
We need you to submit your objections no later than August 9th, even if you have objected previously it is important for your voice to be heard.
As a reminder, SOS is a Community Benefit Society and has campaigned extensively to a) save The Swan for continued use as a pub and b) be in a position to purchase the pub for the benefit of the wider community as a whole.
Some objection points for consideration:
* Car Parking / child drop off, insufficient parking and additional road traffic congestion at peak times
* Additional noise and pollution
* Possible road safety concerns at peak times given the lack of parking and lack of road crossings and pavements in the immediate vicinity
* The loss of a historic pub
* The loss of a wider community facility that every one can access
* Estimated 22+ existing nurseries in the local area
* A pre-School Nursery located 300m up the road at Ley Hill School
* The Brickworks located just south of The Swan has planning for 25 large lorry movements per day (50 total) along Blackwell Hall lane for 5 years, they have yet to fully start
* The Crown will reopen as a pub increasing congestion
Please don’t hesitate, submit your objections before we lose this valued village asset for good.
To object, login to the Council website (use the above link), then search on planning and in the search box type or paste: PL/23/2287/HB (takes a while to) then click on the Make a comment box (top right)
We appreciate your support!
The SOS team
