Aylesbury direction of housing growth revealed
Archived press release
Date Published: 27/02/09
Around 10,000 new homes will be built in Aylesbury
The eastern arc is to be recommended to AVDC’s Cabinet on 10 March, as the preferred option for around 10,000 new homes in Aylesbury.
The recommendation comes after a second public consultation late last year. The eastern arc was one of three possible options and includes land between Watermead and Bierton; land to the north of the canal near Broughton Crossing; and the land to the north of Weston Turville and south of Bedgrove (between the A41 Aston Clinton Road and the A413 Wendover Road).
Councillor Carole Paternoster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said, “We had an excellent response to the consultation, which received 2,274 comments, the majority of which were from individual residents. I’d like to thank all those individuals and organisations who took part in the consultation. Public opinion was one of the factors in the decision, but not the only one.”
John Byrne, Head of Planning, said, “Based on the technical aspects of the choices, the southern growth arc still came out as the slightly better option, with the eastern arc close behind. Technical aspects include issues such as flood risk, transport, environmental character, ecology, landscape and visual impact. However, when public opinion and deliverability are taken into account, the eastern arc ranks more highly, which is why it’s now being recommended to the Cabinet as the preferred option.”
While stakeholder organisations had views on specific issues, they didn’t favour one site over another. Parish councils largely expressed the view that the growth should not be close to them, i.e. those in the east said growth should be in the south and vice versa.
The greatest numbers of comments from members of the public were in favour of the eastern arc – 55 per cent, while the southern arc received 38 per cent of public support. Just six per cent of
people favoured the combined growth area. The reasons they gave for supporting the eastern arc were better transport infrastructure, flood protection and there would be greater benefits of
development in this area to both existing and new communities.
Deliverability of the eastern arc is also better, offering the least risk and the greatest flexibility. So, combined with public opinion, this makes the eastern arc the preferred option. John Byrne explains, “The government guidance now places greater emphasis on the role of viability and deliverability than was the case when we undertook the first consultation. This has changed what’s allowed in the Core Strategy as far as allocating sites is concerned.”
The report will be considered by the AVDC Cabinet on 10 March. If approved, this will then go on to be included in the Core Strategy planning document, which will be debated at a special council meeting on the 29 April 2009.