January 2019

Buckden Roundabout

January 2019

Buckden Parish Council

Buckden Parish Council News...

Christmas Lights

The weather was kind and once again residents and visitors

enjoyed the annual Christmas Lights event. A great deal of

effort goes into ensuring the success of this event and the

Parish Council is grateful to Karina Whittington and her team

for, once again, ensuring that a great time was had by all.

Neighbourhood Plan

In order to ensure that the final Plan reflects the needs and

hopes of all residents the Council has done its best to obtain

the views of as many residents as possible. In addition to the

Questionnaire members of the planning team have met with

various organisations and these have been generally success-

ful. The one exception was our attempt to reach the retail

businesses in the village. We wrote to seventeen inviting

them to a meeting. Only two replied and on the evening none

attended. The questionnaire has proved more successful. Our

target was to get 500 responses and at the time of writing

(before the closing date) nearly 450 have been received. It will

take some time to evaluate all of the information received but

we hope to be in the position to provide an interim report in

February.

Planning - Lucks Lane

The Council has met the developers, Bloor, and their agents,

Pegasus to discuss their Design Code for the development.

Among the issues that we raised with them, and in our re-

sponse to HDC, were the perceived problems associated with

“Shared Spaces” and the road safety problems that will occur

when the new Stirtloe Lane/A1 junction is constructed. The

Council will continue to raise these questions and others in its

response to HDC on the Detailed Planning Application which it

is currently considering.

Planning - Local Plan

HDC has received confirmation from the Examiner that its

proposed Local Plan meets requirements subject to a few

minor adjustments. Unfortunately in spite of our best argu-

ments these do not include any amendment to the proposed

Silver Street development. Unfortunately the County Council

and the Highways Agency do not share the Parish Council’s

and residents’ concerns about road safety.

Defibrillators

Residents will already be aware that the equipment previous-

ly installed in the High Street phone box was stolen. Its re-

placement is now held in the reception office of The Lion Ho-

tel and we are very grateful for their support, Unfortunately

the lock on other equipment box at the village hall has been

broken and the defibrillator is temporarily held in the Clerk’s

office. A new lock will be fitted as soon as possible.

Council Meetings

Due to the proximity of New Year the

next Parish Council will be held at

7.30 on Tuesday 15

January instead of 8

January. If re-

quired there will be a planning committee on the same day at

7.00pm. The meeting will include a 15 minute open forum for

residents to ask questions but please apply to the clerk in

writing at least three working days before the meeting. The

clerk can be reached on

clerk@buckdenparishcouncil.org.uk

or on 01480 819407

The Council would like to take this opportunity to wish all

residents a happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy

New Year.

Any questions or comments on this report can be addressed to the Parish Clerk to Buckden Parish Council, Buckden Village Hall,

Burberry Road, Buckden PE19 5UY. Telephone (01480) 819407; Email

clerk@buckdenparishcouncil.org.uk

Do not forget our

website at

www.buckdenparishcouncil.org.uk

Buckden Neighbourhood Plan

Are you worried about development?

Help us plan the future of our village.

We need your input!

Buckden Parish Council is producing a Neighbourhood Plan.

This is critical for the future of our village.

It will help us influence future planning applications.

Please go on line at

www.buckdenparishcouncil.org.uk

and

complete the questionnaire. Paper copies are available in the

Village Hall, local shops and hotels. If necessary, call 07557

025241 and we will arrange to deliver one to you.

What a neighbourhood plan does:

•

Sets out planning policies for the village and allows the

local community to specify what they expect for the

future.

•

Written by the local community, NOT the Local Plan-

ning Authority

•

Local planning authorities and planning inspectors

must take account of the plan

•

It has statutory recognition

It will include:

•

Required improvements to infrastructure e.g. roads,

rail, public transport

•

Meeting village needs for affordable, sustainable hous-

ing for young and old

•

Meeting village needs in education and medical care

•

Improvements e.g. public spaces, amenities and cycle

paths

•

Protection of wild life, historic buildings, open spaces

•

Preserving Buckden as a village community

•

Long term sustainable development for current and

future generations