Local News By Email

Protect St Giles Greenbelt
protectstgilesgreenbelt@gmail.com

30 July 2026

Please support the draft Local Plan from Buckinghamshire Council

Dear Chalfont St Giles Community

On 23 July, Buckinghamshire Council released their final draft Local Plan. This is their plan to achieve the government target of 91,230 new homes in Buckinghamshire by 2045.

Many of you commented on the previous draft and we are pleased to see that your comments have been recognised and Green Belt sites in Chalfont St Giles have been removed from the plan.
This is great news - thank you for your action!

What is now in the Local Plan?

Buckinghamshire Council propose focusing new housing development on Brownfield sites with supporting infrastructure investment.
In their Vision (opening of chapter 4), they state:
We have protected and supported the purposes of the Chilterns National Landscape and protected
other valued local landscapes from harmful development. We have maximised use of brownfield to
meet critical development and infrastructure needs ...
The first objective (paragraph 4.2) starts with:
a) Sustain the rural character of Buckinghamshire.
b) Protect valued landscapes, including the Chilterns National Landscape, and open countryside in the
Green Belt from harmful or inappropriate development...

Brownfield sites in the north of Buckinghamshire including around Aylesbury, Cheddington and Winslow are proposed to have a significant increase in housing.

View the Draft Local Plan for Buckinghamshire 2024 to 2045 (PDF, 30 MB)
View the Policies Map, including housing allocations across Buckinghamshire.

We need to show support for this plan in order to protect Chalfont St Giles Greenbelt

There is a final consultation period from 23 July to 6 September. Members of the public can comment as can other interested parties including Hill Group and other developers. After this the plan will be finalised and sent to central Government.

You can do this online by commenting directly on specific sections of the Local Plan via this link:

You can comment on any section.
A good place to start is showing support for the Vision and objectives (in Chapter 4). We suggest:
• you state your agreement to the importance of protecting the Greenbelt and other green spaces in order
to protect the village nature of Chalfont St Giles.
• you specifically mention the field off High View and any other sites in the village that you feel strongly
about.

Additionally, the Ward Councillors will hold a public meeting in the Memorial Hall on Saturday 8 August at 1.30pm to discuss the Local Plan where you can understand more and ask any questions.

Kind regards,

the Protect St Giles Greenbelt team

UPDATED

Together CSG CAN

This summer’s hot weather and hosepipe ban have reminded us that climate change is no longer something happening somewhere else – its affecting our own gardens and community.

The good news is that across our village there are already many individuals and groups making a positive difference – from supporting the Community Fridge and organising littler picks to creating wildlife friendly gardens, reducing waste, sharing skills, helping neighbours and speaking up for positive environmental change.

CSG CAN aims to bring these efforts together, celebrate what’s already happening and encourage even more community action.

We will be screening The People’s Emergency Briefing on Thursday 24th September at 7.00 for 7.30pm at the Memorial Hall in School Lane. Watch out for details about how to book.

As the screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing will remind us, while the challenges we face are significant, the solutions begin with people, communities and hope.

None of us can do everything, but all of us can do something. Whether you can spare an hour to help with a local project, share an idea or simply make one small change at home, every action matters. Together, CSG CAN can build on the great work already happening in our village and help create a greener, stronger and more connected village for everyone.

When people come together, remarkable things can happen!

Added 29 July

Added 22 July

Churches Together (light blue) tabards - need returning.

My parents John & Sue Smithson, you may know, are recently deceased. I have been clearing their property and have found 2 Churches Together (light blue) tabards, which I wish to return to the rightful place/people but don't know where/who this would be, can you help?
Either ask someone to contact me - 079615404511 or advise me where I can take them.

Kind regards, Debi

The theme for this year’s annual Council for British Archaeology (CBA) Festival of Archaeology is ‘Archaeology and Nature.’
The Seer Green and Jordans Society’s community heritage project, Our Living Village, has again partnered with the Buckinghamshire Archaeology Society (BAS) to offer two guided walks as part of the festival, on the morning and afternoon of Sunday 23rd August.

These 3.5 km / 3 hr walks will explore 2000 years of human occupation in Hodgemoor Woods, Seer Green, one of the largest areas of remaining ancient woodland within the Chilterns. During the walks we will look at the evidence for Iron Age / Romano-British settlement, the best preserved section of Roman Road in the Chilterns, medieval Ridge and Furrow ploughing, the site of a 17th century Pest House, the 18th/19th century extraction of raw materials for brick-making, early 20th century ornamental water gardens, and the remains of World War II occupation and post-war resettlement.

The number of attendees is limited by Forestry England permit, so booking is essential, either through the Festival website or directly with Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society. The small charge for non-BAS members supports the charitable objectives of the county archaeological society.

Search the full CBA event listing at https://www.archaeologyuk.org/festival.html for other activities during the festival.

If you are interested in these walks, or the history of Hodgemoor Woods, but are unable to book or this date does not suit, then we are always open to running similar events for small groups - please contact us via email at ourlivingvillage@hotmail.com.

Nigel Rothwell

🎉Exciting News for the Chalfonts!🎉

Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire Community Wellbeing Hub is proud to be partnering with Brook as a free registered condom distribution centre and sexual health signposting service.

Through this partnership, the hub will support young people aged 13 - 24 by providing access to free condoms, sexual health information, and signposting to appropriate services.

We are proud to be part of this initiative, and these services are available now at:

Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire Community Wellbeing Hub;
Chalfonts & Gerrards Cross Hospital,
Hampden Road,
SL9 9DR.

Could you help make CSG more climate-friendly?

A group of local residents has come together to form the Chalfont St Giles Climate Action Network (CSG CAN).

We want to bring together the projects and initiatives already happening in our village that help raise awareness and tackle climate change, while starting a positive conversation about what more we can do as a community.

If you'd like to:

• Join the Climate Action Network
• Be part of the conversation on climate change
• Tell us about an initiative you're already involved in
• Get more involved in relevant local community activities
...we'd love to hear from you!

We're also planning a public screening in September of the thought provoking People’s Emergency Briefing to inspire discussion and share ideas. Full details will follow.

Together, we can build on the good work already happening in Chalfont St Giles and help create a more sustainable future for our community.

Interested? Contact Brionywickenden@hotmail.com to find out more.

Added 15 July

A Pictorial History Of St Giles

If you were unlucky enough to miss the 2 presentations on the Pictorial History of St Giles in the last few months, then this is for you. The presentation was recorded and is available on Youtube here.