31 July 2021
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I represent Widmer End on the Planning Committee of Hughenden Parish Council. So I thought it would be helpful to explain the role of a parish council in the planning process and mention a few planning applications which are in the pipeline.
Parish councils have to be consulted by law on the great majority of local planning applications. Their job is to identify issues, based on parish councillors’ local knowledge and experience. These issues may not be immediately obvious to the case officer in Buckinghamshire Council either from the application or when making a site visit. For example, if case officers visit on a weekday, they may not realise that parking near a proposed development is horrendous at the weekends.
Parish councillors, like other residents, are not expected to know whether applications comply with the law or with national or local planning policies; they just have to flag up issues.
Parish councils normally comment on planning applications via Buckinghamshire Council’s planning portal. A parish council can decide to object to an application and explain why, or say it has no objections, or make no comments at all.
The case officer will then consider any issues raised by the parish council and others. It is the responsibility of the case officer to consider whether the application complies with the law and any national or local planning policies.
In the vast majority of cases, a Senior Planning Officer in Buckinghamshire Council decides whether to approve an application under delegated powers. If the issues are finely balanced, the application may go to one of five Area Planning Committees for decision. The members of the Area Planning Committees are Buckinghamshire councillors.
If the planning application is for a wider strategic development, the application will go to BC’s Strategic Planning Committee for decision. This too is composed of BC councillors.
So parish councils do not decide planning applications. However, they have to be consulted on local applications by law.
Parish councils can also ask for a planning application to be decided by a Planning Committee rather than an official (referred to as a “call-in”). When a parish council call-in an application, it has to explain why and it is then up to a senior BC official to decide whether the call-in is justified. An application is automatically called in if all three local BC councillors request a call-in.
Parish councils now get their own slot (3 minutes) to speak at planning committees rather than sharing a slot with other objectors or supporters of the application.
As a member of HPC’s Planning Committee, I cannot comment on planning applications coming to the Committee. However, I can provide factual information about applications which might interest or affect a number of residents. I have briefly outlined 3 current applications below.
1. Terriers Farm, Kingshill Road
The planning application for a major development at Terriers Farm went on BC’s website on 1 July this year. It is at:
It is a joint application by Persimmon Homes and Redrow Homes for 418 homes.
Another planning application for 41 homes adjoining this land at Terriers was made last year and is awaiting decision.
The proposed developments are actually in Hazlemere but the boundary of the Persimmon/Redrow proposed development is on the border with Widmer End.
There are 208 documents associated with the application. 36 of these are objections made already by neighbours. The rest are part of the application. If you want to get an overview of the development, I suggest you start by looking at the Masterplan (18 documents up from the bottom of the 208 documents on BC’s website).
The application is to be determined by 15 October but there is no deadline yet for comments by neighbours. HPC’s Planning Committee will probably discuss the application at its next meeting on 16 August.
I understand the application will go to the Strategic Planning Committee.
2. Field Farm, on the corner of Spurlands End Road and Windmill Lane
This planning application, on a travellers’ site in Widmer End, was received on 13 July and the closing date for comments is 13 August (although Hughenden Parish Council has asked for an extension so that it can consider and comment at its Planning Committee on 16 August).
You can find the details at:
Great Kingshill Residents Association has already objected to this application on the grounds of over development. If you want to understand the application, I suggest you read the “supporting statement” and the “proposed dayroom floor plan”in the list of documents on BC’s website.
3. Anns Cottage, Naphill Common
This application was received by BC on 20 July and the deadline for comments is 17 August. It will be on the agenda of HPC Planning Committee on 16 August.
I don’t know how old the cottage is – only that it is pre-1914. The documents cover a number of ecological issues.
I hope you find this helpful. A full list of current applications will be on the agenda for the Planning Committee meeting on 16 August.
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