Longwick- Cum – Ilmer Parish Council object to the application on the following grounds :

1. The proposal is beyond the agreed development number of new dwellings in the Parish, which was set at 300 homes, within the Neighbourhood Plan to run from 2018 to 2033.

We are already at that number, with 7 more years to run. The imposition of such large numbers has doubled the settlement size in a very short time, and has already had a major impact on both the environment and social cohesion of the Parish. The Council is already burdened, on behalf of the Community, with trying to moderate the impacts. Further building in the short term will make matters worse.

2. Previous developments promised infrastructure improvement in travel links and bus routes – there have been none provided. New residents have difficulty accessing medical and other facilities which are not in our Parish.

3. Previous development highlighted the fact that the existing sewage system within the Parish is in need of upgrade, with the current system unable to cope for significant periods of time, resulting in sewage egress and flooding in the North West of the village of Longwick. Thames Water are aware of the issue, and regularly have to use tankers to clear up the excess. They have given no indication of plans to rectify the problem and the Council are pursuing accordingly.

4. Traffic through Longwick, both ways on the A4129, on to which vehicles from this proposed development would move, has increased dramatically in both volume and speed since the settlement expansion – appropriate speed and calming controls have still not been put in place despite Council requests. The issues are ongoing, and circa 200 extra vehicle movements a day, on and off the A4129 would compound an already unsatisfactory and unsafe situation. Also in this respect the access road proposed offers a limited splay.

These are all serious issues and the Parish Council urges the Planning Authority to refuse this application.

Submitted 16th July 2025