The human version (we wrote this, not the council)
This allocation supports an assumed 30 homes at Albany Place Car Park in central Chesham. The 0.35 hectare site includes the 330-seat Elgiva Theatre, which must be re-provided in a suitable town centre location, and seventy-one parking spaces that must be replaced unless shown to be unnecessary. Flood risk is significant, with off-site flood storage required and no housing allowed in the highest risk zone. Permission also depends on mitigation being in place for the nearby Chilterns Beechwoods protected area.
An unofficial plain English summary. The official wording below is
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The text below is extracted automatically from the official PDF and may
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CHS02: Albany Place Car Park, Chesham
The site as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for an assumed number of 30 dwellings. New development will be supported where:
a) Replacement car parking in an alternative town centre location with no loss in the number of public car parking spaces is provided unless it can be proved the number of spaces currently provided is no longer required.
b) The existing on-site theatre is re-provided in a suitable town centre location.
c) It addresses the significant flood risk constraints on the site, avoiding high fluvial and surface water risk where possible and provide a Flood Risk Assessment. Off-site flood storage would be required to manage fluvial and surface water flood risk at the site. Housing is not allowed in areas of Flood Zone 3b.
d) Detailed baseline and post-development 1D-2D fluvial modelling, informed by CCTV survey of extended culverted reaches, will be required as part of a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment. This includes blockage modelling of the culverted River Chess in the east and south of the site.
e) SANG and SAMM mitigation is in place in line with policies NE12, NE13, NE14 and the latest Mitigation Strategy. Permission will not be granted until mitigation is in place.
6.403 The site of 0.35ha lies in the centre of Chesham on the A416 St Mary’s Way. It includes the 330-seat capacity Elgiva Theatre as well as adjacent car parking for seventy-one cars (including 3 disabled spaces). The current theatre building was opened in 1998, replacing the original theatre which was demolished to make way for the St Mary’s Way supermarket complex on the opposite side of the road.
6.404 The adjacent car park is not only used for the theatre, but it also serves the town centre. Vehicular access to the site is via a short link road from the adjacent Elgiva Roundabout. The site is surrounded by a mix of commercial, public and residential buildings. The Chesham Conservation Area is opposite the site, separated by St Mary’s Way.
6.405 Redevelopment of the site could present significant risk in terms of flooding. Developers will need to follow the SFRA Level 2 recommendations in terms of site-specific guidance for site design and making development safe.
6.406 The site lies within the Zone of Influence of Chilterns Beechwoods SAC. Permission will not be granted until SANG and SAMM mitigation is in place. It is anticipated that the site could secure credits at Bell Lane SANG.