Cookham Discussion Board

(From a Cookham resident)
This will be the result of the planned Cookham, and neighbouring developments, of 600 homes contained in the RBWM Borough Local Plan which is currently under inspection. The Wycombe Plans have already approved almost 650 homes just the other side of the Bridge in Bourne End (Hollands Farm and Slate Meadow).

For over 3 years I have formally argued, as the sole individual Cookham resident, that the developments lead to an unsustainable traffic issue and indeed, due to lack of cooperation with Wycombe, that the plan is potentially illegal. The council have not answered my challenges to their traffic modelling and process made in the stage 2 hearings and through the prior consultations and stage 1 hearings. However, the inspector has asked for evidence from RBWM.

I sourced data, originating from RBWMs own traffic consultants, and carried out detailed analysis. It showed flaws in the modelling and also including traffic delay increases of 326% without the developments and 540% with them (to less than walking pace) for example at the High Street junction at Spencer Gallery . RBWM stated they have not explicitly taken account of the Bourne End developments. The effects of delay and associated pollution will be felt all the way through the Village, The Pound, and the Rise. The implications are profound, not least on the High Street, and I suggest if you are also concerned over this situation, you still can do something about it, and now.

Firstly “Keep Bourne End Green” ( KBEG), an outstanding residents’ lobby group, are asking for our support in the consultation for the Hollands Farm development plan (this deals with the detail of the housing and roads, now the Wycombe Local Plan has been approved and the Green Belt designation removed). Their number one issue is traffic. Two different traffic consultants’ reports (including the councils own) highlight the bottlenecks at the Bridge from the North. These will affect Cookham and you have a right to comment. The consultation ends on Feb 17th and available at:

https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/planning/hollands-farm-consultation/

There is a zoom session to explain the consultation, hosted by KBEG, on Monday night (1st Feb). Although designed for Bourne End residents (the first session last week was oversubscribed), there may be a few places available. I was in awe of the competence and detail shown by the group at the first session. You will graphically see the expected effects on Bourne End and how they could be mirrored in Cookham.

Details are:

Time: Feb 1, 2021 07:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84923360675?pwd=UytBSlUxZERCMWUzS0psYmN2Y2t6QT09

Meeting ID: 849 2336 0675

Passcode: 613361.

A recording of last week’s session is available at:

https://youtu.be/Q0CWZOk5_L4

Finally, the inspector of the RBWM plan is assessing the hearing evidence. I am reasonably certain she will not accept the plan and ask for Major Modifications (which residents can consult on).

We must wait to see if she accepts my evidence and raises the Cookham development plan issue as unsustainable regarding traffic.

Note that your Parish Council, Cookham Society and Wild Cookham made sterling supportive representations at the Plan hearings and covered wider issues such as effect on schools, medical services, and wildlife as well as supportive commentary on the traffic issue.

Let’s firstly support Bourne End residents on the issues that impacts ourselves and submit comments on the Hollands Farm Consultation as you see fit, but I suggest traffic is a major issue.          

"The Wycombe Plans have already approved almost 650 homes just the other side of the Bridge in Bourne End (Hollands Farm and Slate Meadow)."

Untrue from what I have read.