A planning request for a farmland use change in Poundon has sparked a stream of objections from local people.
Over 70 objections have been received to Peter Flannery's request for a seven-year temporary change of agricultural land use at Red Furlong Farm, Twyford Road, Poundon.
The plan is to establish a training center to train people to operate plants and heavy machinery for large infrastructure projects such as HS2 and East West Rail. Proposals include the demolition of an existing barn and the construction of a new temporary housing block with around 40 rooms plus a caravan site for course attendees.
Red Furlong Farm is located in an open field 800 m from the village of Poundon and 10 km from Bicester. A public trail, Cross Bucks Way, crosses the site, connecting Poundon with nearby Twyford.
The applicant's statement reads: "There is currently a shortage of skilled workers who are capable of using the plant machinery necessary to execute the infrastructure projects presented in Buckinghamshire. These infrastructure projects include the HS2 Rail Link which will connect London with Birmingham, the East West Rail Link that will connect Oxford to Cambridge and other infrastructure projects coming up in Buckinghamshire, such as new housing development.
"The infrastructure projects that lie ahead require a wide range of skilled personnel in the operation of the plant and sophisticated machinery, including machinery operated by GPS and machinery used to detect the routes of pipelines and services. Without the necessary skilled workers, there is a risk of the timely delivery of these infrastructure projects that are of national interest to improve transportation connections. The proposals that form the basis of this request respond to the need for qualified workers to deliver this national infrastructure. "
But objectors say the plan shows how indirectly HS2's influence is seeping into rural areas.
In addition to more than 70 objections from local people, the Charndon and Edgcott parish councils have opposed the plan.
Charndon Parish Council wrote: "This planning request supporting the HS2 vanity project should not be approved. The time has come to say enough is enough. The devastating effect on local villages of this infrastructure and EWR have seen high levels of Traffic, road closures, and detours on local roads are not robust enough to accommodate them. Many of these roads do not have sidewalks or street lighting and are continually used by pedestrians, schoolchildren, horse riders, and cyclists. Roads are deteriorating with potholes, sags and damaged edges. This is yet another example of the "don't worry about yourself" mentality driven by the HS2 hierarchy. This planning request is for seven years with guarantees to restore the land to its original condition! Retrospective requests to extend over the seven years and the old green belt changed to Brownfields is the posib ility and would have a great impact on the environment. find towns ".
Edgcott's Parish Council wrote: "The site is not easily accessible and all travel to this proposed development will be by road and with poor public transportation, most visitors to the site will rely on private cars. This works against all government carbon reduction policies. The proposed development is designed to train workers for HS2 and EWR local infrastructure projects, but the additional traffic generated by this proposed Training Center will further compound the misery of the traffic that local residents continue to experience and will intentionally coincide with the peak construction phases of HS2. and EWR. "
He added that the accommodation block and the caravan site "would have an undesirable development effect on the local landscape" and "The construction work and the nature of the work carried out at the proposed training center would have an adverse effect on the landscape. surrounding area and its residents in terms of nighttime light pollution and daytime noise pollution. Abandoned land should be considered a priority for this type of development rather than causing the damaging loss of more green and rural spaces. "
Other objections include the loss of the historic ridge and furrow landscape and the possible closure of part of Cross Bucks Way if the plan goes ahead.
