Aylesbury

Greenfield Homes

The public inquiry into three housing schemes totalling 3,000 homes at Hampden Fields, Fleet Marston and Weedon Hill on the outskirts of Aylesbury concluded with final statements on 9 December. MP David Lidington said he fears Aylesbury could become a dormitory town if traffic problems are not fixed before the town expands. Plans for 2,450 greenfield homes near Bierton, north east of Aylesbury, have been given outline planning permission. The approval means there are now around 8,000 unbuilt homes in Aylesbury Vale with planning permission.

 

www.bucksherald.co.uk

Bourne End

 

Plans for 25 "later living" apartments and a Sainsbur's store in Bourne End were unanimously thrown out by Wycombe councillors against officers' advice. They said the development is out of character with its surroundings and has inadequate parking. Bourne End councillor Mike Appleyard said modern buildings had destroyed the traditional character of the village. “Over the years it seems Bourne End has been under attack from Wycombe District Council. It started in the 60s and 70s… Since then, there has not been one traditional building built in that part of the village. This really does make a nonsense of planning in a characterful area”.

Bucks Free Press

Pinewood

Inquiry

The sixteen day inquiry into expansion of Pinewood Studios in the green belt has concluded.

Opponents

South Bucks council insisted the project will cause “substantial harm” to the green belt and could be built elsewhere. It also questioned the business case put forward by the studio. Stop Project Pinewood (SPP) campaigners dubbed the project “a pig with lipstick.” The campaigners said the current infrastructure could not cope with the influx of cars and HGVs the £200m extension would attract: “Pinewood own over 100 acres of green-belt land and want to build anything on it that will make them a few million and supply their greed. They don‟t care about the green belt, and they certainly don‟t care about people.” SPP chairman Sylvie Lowe added: “Many people bought their houses because of the rural character of Iver Heath and specifically the green belt.”

Bucks Free Press

Supporters

Pinewood said: “Investment is being turned away and as a consequence national, regional and local economic employment, training and wider social and cultural benefits are being lost.” It claimed its project “is easier to understand” than its earlier scheme which was rejected over harm to the green belt. The studio plans to launch a shuttle bus service to reduce the number of cars using the new complex. London Mayor, Boris Johnson told the inquiry he backs the scheme. Hollywood giant Marvel warned it would pull out of filmmaking in Britain if the expansion of Pinewood is turned down.

getbucks

Winslow

Shipton

Councillors rejected a third planning application by Gladman Developments to build a housing estate on land at Shipton, on the edge of Winslow. This application was for 100 homes; previous bids for 200 and 175 homes were rejected by the planning inspectorate. Aylesbury Vale council said the development is not needed as a five-year housing land supply has been demonstrated in the draft Winslow Neighbourhood Plan.

www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk

Renewable Energy

Salden windfarm

West Coast Energy held an exhibition on plans for a four turbine wind farm at Salden. The company is offering around £1.3 million over the operational life of the wind farm to alleviate fuel poverty in the local and wider area, and to fund community initiatives. The image below is taken from the exhibition brochure online.

For more information
www.miltonkeynes.co.uk
www.westcoastenergy.co.uk

 

Renewable Energy

Wind farm policy

Milton Keynes council is again trying to introduce a policy that restricts wind farms. It has adopted a new Supplementary Planning Document which follows the advice from the British Society of Horses that wind turbines should be distanced from bridleways and footpaths as they could startle horses. It says that turbines should be a distance of at least four times their height away from long distance equestrian routes: the Three Shires Way or the North Bucks Way. For ordinary bridle paths, there should be a “separation distance of three times the overall height of the wind turbine to equestrian public rights of way or 200 metres, whichever is the greater.” For footpaths: “The expected minimum distance requirement is the fall-over distance i.e. height of the wind turbine (to blade tip) plus 10% to 25%.” Council leader Andrew Geary said: “This SPD is in accordance with the High Court ruling. I doubt we will see this one challenged”.

 

For more information
www.mkweb.co.uk
www.milton-keynes.gov.uk

Autumn