From Lock-Up Garages to Chalet Bungalows: The Next Step at Pond Park Road
Plans are in for three terraced chalet bungalows on a former garage site at Pond Park Road in Chesham.
If the name sounds familiar, this is the site that taught us patience. Securing the first permission here took five years.
The short answer: we already hold permission on this site. The new application is the detailed scheme: three terraced chalet bungalows with parking, on a brownfield site that has been doing nothing for anyone. Small urban sites like this are where a lot of new homes should come from, but most developers will not take on the planning risk. That is the part we do.
Why did the first permission take five years?
Environmental legislation changed along the way, policy moved more than once, and every change meant reworking the scheme. The biggest shift was the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation, which protects internationally important beech woodland from recreational pressure. For a long period, new homes across the area could not be approved until a mitigation strategy was in place.
When mitigation became available through financial contributions, permission followed. The full story is in our earlier post, From Derelict Garages to New Homes.
What is in the new application?
The new application sets out the detailed scheme: three chalet bungalows in a short terrace towards the back of the site, reached along the existing driveway, each with its own parking. Boundary planting is proposed at a mature height from the day it goes in, and parking uses a grid surface that lets rainwater soak through.
A chalet bungalow keeps the eaves low and puts rooms into the roof. On a site surrounded by neighbouring gardens, that matters. It keeps the buildings modest in height, protects the outlook of the homes around it and still gives each household real space. You can follow progress on our Pond Park Road development page.
Why do small brownfield sites matter?
The countryside charity CPRE estimates that England has enough brownfield land for around 1.48 million homes. Some of it is old factories and car parks. A great deal of it looks like Pond Park Road: a court of garages, a yard behind a parade, an oversized garden. Individually these sites barely register. Together they add up.
They come with advantages that big greenfield sites cannot match. The roads, schools, shops and bus routes are already there. Nobody loses a view of a field. And a site that has been an eyesore for decades becomes somewhere people want to live.
Why do so few developers take them on?
Because the risk does not shrink with the site. Three homes need many of the same surveys, consultants and policy tests as thirty, and a single new requirement can wipe out the margin on a small scheme. Add neighbours on every side, narrow access and the kind of delay we saw at Pond Park Road, and it is easy to see why most developers walk past.
That raises an uncomfortable question. If the national conversation is all about new towns and big numbers, who is looking after the small sites hiding behind the houses we already have? We think it is worth being the people who do.
What have we learned from Pond Park Road?
Expect policy to move. On a long project, the rules you start under are rarely the rules you finish under.
Keep the scheme flexible. Being ready to rework the design kept this site alive when others stalled.
Design for the neighbours. On an enclosed site, height and outlook decide the outcome.
Do not give up on the obvious sites. The ones everybody walks past are often the ones that need homes most.
Do you have a small brownfield site?
If you have a small brownfield site, or want details on any of our consented sites, email us at hello@wearemillen.com. Our planning consultancy team can tell you whether there is a route to permission, and if you would rather sell, you can find out what your land could be worth. Thinking about a garden plot instead? Read our landowner's guide to building in your garden.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build houses on an old garage site?
Yes, often. Garage courts are usually previously developed land, which national policy encourages councils to make good use of for housing. The main questions are access, the effect on neighbours, and any local environmental requirements.
What is a chalet bungalow?
A chalet bungalow is a home with low eaves and rooms in the roof space, usually lit by dormer windows or rooflights. It offers more space than a bungalow while staying lower than a standard two-storey house.
What is a brownfield site?
A brownfield site is land that has been previously developed, such as former garages, yards, industrial land or car parks. Planning policy generally supports reusing it for housing.
What is the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation?
It is a protected area of internationally important beech woodland in the Chilterns. New homes nearby must address their effect on it, usually through a financial contribution to an approved mitigation strategy.
Why did planning permission at Pond Park Road take five years?
Environmental legislation and planning policy changed several times during the application, most notably with the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation. Each change meant reworking the scheme until mitigation became available and permission could be granted.
Do small brownfield sites need biodiversity net gain?
Usually, yes, although exemptions apply, for example where a site affects very little existing habitat. It is worth checking early, as the requirement can affect the layout and cost of a small scheme.
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