Councillors criticise OAP flats development

10:15am Monday 21st May 2001

A PLAN to build 40 retirement flats in the heart of Beaconsfield has been slammed by councillors who called it a "gross" over-development.

Taywood Lifestyle Homes has applied to build the flats on Post Office Lane on land that used to be occupied by the company Perkin Elmer.

But Beaconsfield Town Council has objected to the scheme saying it would also cause traffic chaos.

Cllr Bernard Woolf, told the council's planning committee: "This is a particularly bad development for the town. All the traffic will have to come out at the most dangerous junction at Station Road. If you put up 40 retirement houses for people over 55 years and older there will be two cars per flat."

Archie Legg, chairman of the planning committee said: "I am far from happy with the parking they seem to forget that even retired people have visitors and where do they put their cars?

"It is gross overdevelopment."

However some councillors saw it as a chance to redevelop the area.

Cllr Paul Henry urged councillors to consider what would go in its place.

While saying that he had a problem with the traffic generated by the flats, he added: "We have to be a bit pragmatic.

"Perkin Elmer have left and the buildings will be empty soon.

"The site will be redeveloped somehow.

"The question is with what?"

John Anderson, managing director of Taywood Lifestyle Homes, said that traffic would not be as great as councillors feared.

He said: "We have consulted the Highways Authority and they are quite happy with the proposals we have put forward but we would like to have local opinion.

"With a scheme like this you find very significantly lower traffic levels.

"Though it looks like a lot of apartments, the people also travel at better times of the day."

Mr Anderson added that residents moved to developments such as these because they wanted to be less reliant on cars.

The plan will now be heard by South Bucks District Council.

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