THE DEVELOPER behind the plan for homes to be built at a historical Bucks brewery site has hit back after concerns were raised over damage to trees and parking. 

The developer DLBP proposes to turn the Grade II listed The Maltings brewery site into 45 homes with parking in Old Amersham’s School Lane through partial demolition of non-historic buildings, and retention of listed buildings.

Since the plans were submitted in September last year, they have attracted concern including fears for increased traffic, parking, flood mitigation, and the heritage of local trees.

Now, developer DLBP has spoken out following Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to protect eight walnut trees and a hornbeam between The Maltings and Barn Meadow Recreation Ground with a Tree Protection Order.

The order prohibits anyone from “cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilfully damaging or wilfully destroying” the nine trees.

It was issued because “they may now be at risk in connection with a proposal for the re-development of The Maltings site”, the council said in a letter dated February 17.

DLBP’s director of planning Andrew Ryley commented: “I am pleased to confirm that it has never been our intention to remove any of the eight walnut trees on the western side of the site, and this remains the case.  We consider that these trees have an important public amenity and contribute to the area and will also contribute to the setting of the future residential development of the site.”

However, DLBP’s current intention is to remove the hornbeam on the south of the site because the removal “is needed to facilitate the residential development as currently planned,” Mr Ryley said.

“We did not consider that this tree has the same level of public amenity as the walnut trees due its condition and location within the site, and that its removal is justified in planning terms.  This is because of the substantial and overriding public benefits of the proposed development - saving and restoring these important listed buildings and regenerating the site to create high quality homes in an area where there is a substantial identified need - in our view outweighs the impact of the removal of this tree.   Having said this, we are exploring whether the scheme could be amended so that this tree could be retained.”

DLBP has the right to make an objection or comments about any of the trees included in the Order by March 31.

The developer was aware of concerns made by The Amersham Society and other residents, including about level of parking, Mr Ryley said.

“We welcome that the Amersham Society and the vast majority of local residents support the principle of redeveloping this site for the new much needed homes, with the clear opinion being that their long term residential use is better than being retained as a commercial site,” he said.

“We are considering all the comments made as part of the consultation process and intend to provide a detailed response to the council as part of the current application,” he added.