Residents in Daws Hill upset about plans for private schools boarding house
They're worried the new development could permanently damage their neighbourhood
Residents in Daws Hill say they fear a new development by Wycombe Abbey could permanently damage their neighbourhood.
The independent girls’ school, which charges £61,500 a year to board, has submitted plans to Buckinghamshire Council to construct a new junior boarding house.
It is proposed that the new house, would be known as Junior House, and would be located to the east of Daws Hill in a clearing in a wooded area, to the south of the main school site.
The school said the site had previously been used for storage of discarded waste, and the proposals would remove the derelict building and clear contaminated ground.
However, residents have said the plans would cause “irreversible harm” to the landscape and would threaten the peaceful nature of their neighbourhood.
The house would provide accommodation for 84 students with an additional eight day boarders.
As well as the accommodation, the proposal includes enhanced music practice rooms, study facilities, staff accommodation, and improved outdoor space.
It said: “Junior House will provide Wycombe Abbey with a significantly enhanced boarding house which will provide accommodation for the youngest students in their entry year at the School.
“The existing Junior Boarding house does not meet the needs of the School or pupils and the building is dated and needs to be replaced.
“The original building was not built as a boarding house and this has resulted in a less than optimal internal layout for boarding facilities.”
The historic school also raised concerns about current accommodation over safeguarding linked to staff accommodation, owing to the repurposed nature of the existing building.
The facility is said to fall short of providing a welcoming introduction to boarding life for Wycombe Abbey’s youngest pupils, and overall, the accommodation is considered below the standard offered by comparable schools.
However residents near the proposed site have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the scheme, in a petition calling on Buckinghamshire Council they called the application an ‘unprecedented threat.’
It stated: “This development could inflict on our community and its environment.
“The school’s intent to build additional accommodation compromises the integrity of not just the landscape of this cherished area, but also the habitat of the local wildlife.
“This not only disrupts the ecosystem, leading to potential habitat loss for various species but also subtracts from the charm and greenery we’ve long cherished.
“Immediate impacts of such a development also include increased noise pollution and traffic congestion, which threatens the peaceful nature of our neighbourhood.”
Residents fear that lengthy construction, heavy machinery, and noise will disrupt the peace of Daws Hill, while the removal of natural barriers will harm privacy and alter the area’s character.
They are urging Buckinghamshire Council to prioritise adapting existing buildings over sacrificing green space and quality of life.
Wycombe Abbey has been approached for comment on the petition.