Chesham & Amersham results. Time to re-think the Ox-Cam Arc and the new planning proposals?

In their largest by-election swing in over fifty years, the Lib-Dems took Chesham & Amersham from the Conservative Party which had previously held the seat in every election since it was created in 1974, and with majorities always in excess of 10,000 votes. The real message of the day was the rejection of the Conservative Government’s planning reforms, despite a candidate who was pro-greenspaces. There was clear evidence of tactical voting, with the Greens, halving their 2019 vote, going against their recent trend, but still beating Labour into fourth place.  

The inhabitants of Chesham and Amersham can clearly see what central government imposed planning looks like on their doorstep.  Ripped out woodlands and industrial scale obliteration are ruining their landscape under HS2.  And this is despite a comprehensive planning system that is supposed to consult the local people, control the worst excesses, and enforce mitigation of the prolonged construction process. 

Even these limited controls will be removed by the proposed changes to the planning laws. Local people will only be allowed to comment on the areas proposed for growth, renewal or protection, without knowing precisely what is being planned in the growth areas, for example, and against which they will have no appeal. On top of these new proposals comes the aspirational target of one million new houses across Bucks and the adjacent four counties as part of the Ox-Cam Arc plans. Neither local authorities nor local people have so far been consulted about these plans that involve development equivalent to 20 new towns the size of Aylesbury.

Bucks is now leading the charge against the unfettered development with this recent by-election success, building on the Amersham Town Council swing from zero Lib Dem seats to overall control. Bucks Unitary authority has withdrawn from the Arc Leadership Group, currently in charge of Ox-Cam Arc plans, and it is hoped that  Oxon and Cambs are close behind, following their local election evictions of the pro-growth Conservative leader or mayor (respectively) and the loss of overall Conservative control of the councils. In Milton Keynes, similar voter unrest led to Labour reversals and a new governing coalition.

The Ox-Cam Arc initiative has become toxic for all political parties.

Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP who is the de facto Deputy Chairman of the Housing Select Committee, commented on the by-election result to MailOnline:

“This is Tory heartland and very expensive housing. People were obviously annoyed about HS2. A lot of the countryside will be despoiled. A lot of us have been saying for quite some time, it's all very well to say we want to see more housing built... but they have got to listen to the advice we have given. Local plans should be made sacrosanct so local people have their say about what is going to be built where, and not have national targets that ride roughshod over local people.” Mr Blackman added on the proposed loosening of the planning laws: “across the South East it is the real threat (to Conservative MPs).”

Following the Amersham & Chesham result, the Stop the Arc’s Nick Burton was interviewed by BBC 3 Counties radio’s Roberto Perrone. You can hear Nick’s interview by clicking on the link on the right.