STRANDE LANE, Cookham. 25 new homes in Flood zone.

From Paul Strzelecki

The application for 25 homes on Strande Lane Cookham was submitted by Shanley Homes within 24 hours of the Borough Local Plan approval (on the 8th Feb), only 20 homes were allocated, but 25 now applied for. Application 22/00343/OUT.

As you can view and hear on YouTube, 19th November 2020 RBWM Local Plan Examination hearings (from approx 2hr 30mins into session ), the inspector was not convinced about this location and allocation given it was agreed there likley would be no emergency vehicle vehicular access in times of a flood. Detailed review should be included at planning stage was agreed , however feet will now need to be kept to the fire on this issue.

I have shown the crippling effect on traffic in Cookham due to all the BLP developments (including 600 for Cookham, including close by Spencers Farm), specifically the impact on the main Switchback Road into and through Cookham. The inspector has admitted in her report this will be “frustrating for residents and commuters”. She says it will not be severe, but, my opinion, she and RBWM has not understood, the traffic model statistics and implications in Cookham. This application is the first Cookham tranche of Local Plan developments.

The chance to submit representations at the local plan stage has gone, but you can now offer your views on the application. Not whether you do or don’t want houses, but on the facts that either support, or are against, planning approval with such as safe access, flooding and traffic unsustainability as core issues. Take a view from the Youtube hearing and my traffic analysis explanations during the hearings (that were denoted in a previous post).

If the application is accepted, and without significant and argued resident representation, it will be a precedent for allowing homes with no vehicular access in an emergency to be approved also leading to an unsustainable traffic problem.

Cookham as a whole has not been, in my opinion, the strongest in voicing its views on key planning applications. May I suggest that you take the time and volunteer your views now, on this and similar forthcoming applications .There were only three resident comments on this one when I checked,all against. ( Mine is not completed yet but will be before the end of the month)

You have until the 10th of March to make any views you have officially known to the planning office at RBWM. The application can be viewed on the RBWM planning portal. A simple email to planning department with your name and address is all that is required, but again arguments need to address specific issues and not a generalised comment on desirability of homes in that location in your support or objection to the application.

Expect applications on the rest of the 600 homes shortly.

Paul Strzelecki