Thanks to the many Villagers who attended last night’s Meeting

Thanks to everyone who turned out to last night’s Village Meeting in the face of a SECOND planning application to install a permanent school at Pioneer House on Hollybush Hill. It is testament to the strength of feeling that so many people continue to turn out, determined to stop inappropriate development on the Green Belt.

Objections to the planning application have to be in by 9th April, and can be sent via post or e-mail (planning@southbucks.gov.uk).

The reference is 14/00483/KNOT and since nothing has materially changed in the application, the objections remain the same, namely:

SEVERE IMPACT ON TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS
The original S106 agreement signed by SBDC and Pioneer High Fidelity as part of the planning permission to build Pioneer House included a limit on the number of employees at the site to 175. This proposal is for a school of 840 pupils and 70 staff which will dramatically increase the traffic on Hollybush Hill and cause chaos on this road and in the surrounding lanes. Point 5 of the Planning Officer’s report against KSA’s first application recommended a refusal based on the site being in an unsustainable location, which is poorly served by public transport. Since nothing has changed this remains the case; why would SBDC suddenly change their minds and accept a proposal which they have already refused? It would be illogical.
Paragraph 34 of NPPF states that decisions should ensure that developments generating a large volume of movements should be put in an area where such movement is minimized. Given that it is acknowledged that most pupils will come from Slough and West London, this is NOT the case were KSA to remain at Pioneer House.

SEVERE IMPACT OF NOISE
The site is in an elevated position at the “top” of the village. As such noise will carry around the village. Moreover, the application indicates the potential for out of hours curricular activities, which are already taking place impacting local amenity. Referring again to the S106 agreement, it was agreed in clause 11 that noise levels on the boundary will not result in excess of 40dB between 07.00 and 22.00 and 30dB between 22.00 and 07.00. These numbers are already being exceeded.

CONTAMINATION OF THE SITE
It should be remembered that this land is contaminated, some of which was radioactive material.

As ever, there are a core team of villagers who have spent over a year of their lives fighting this inappropriate and aggressive action on behalf of Slough residents. Too many to mention here, but huge respect for the hours of efforts that have gone in to get us this far.