West Bletchley Labour Councillors have launched a community campaign for a fair deal for Bletchley over any plans to develop the Salden Chase area just outside Milton Keynes.

Developers who want to build on the land to the south of West Bletchley are expected to put in a planning application shortly for around 1500 new homes. This is seen as the first tranche of a series of applications to bring the size of the development back to the original 5600 homes that was rejected in 2011. 

Local councillors are putting forward 6 demands for community consultation. They believe these will challenge any planning application. They call for the infrastructure to be agreed before any expansion. They are: 

• Action on Southern by-pass/ Buckingham Road/A421.
• Ensure that Hospital/GP services can cope.
• Want to see the new railway station included in any development
• Ensure drainage problems are resolved.
• Understand impact on council services.
• Chepstow Park to be protected from development.

Cllr Elaine Wales said, “We must have I before E. There is very strong local opposition to the development of Salden Chase. We defeated the proposals last time and I believe we can defeat them again. However the Government has changed the planning rules to help developers and Aylesbury Vale Council, the main planning body, has had its Local Plan rejected by inspectors meaning an open goal for the developers. We will do all we can to stop this development. Our demands require the infrastructure to be agreed before any expansion.”    

West Bletchley parish council has a strong policy against the development of Salden Chase and has engaged experts to look at the transport and drainage issues. It has also started to talk to Newton Longville and Bletchley and Fenny Town Council to develop the campaign.

Cllr Ernie Thomas, chair of the WBPC Salden Chase sub-committee added, “Any development of Salden Chase will have a huge impact on Bletchley. It would create traffic and drainage problems. It would use Milton Keynes services like the hospital, but it would not pay a single pound in tax to Milton Keynes. We are putting forward demands and we want the community to tell us if we are making the right demands.”    

You can sign the Salden Chase online petition by clicking here.