Green fields threatened as Vale of Aylesbury Plan thrown out
Inspector Kevin Ward said that Aylesbury Vale has failed in
its legal duty to cooperate with neighbouring councils over housing numbers. Milton
Keynes wants to expand into Aylesbury Vale and Luton borough says that it can’t
accommodate all the housing it needs within its area. The implication is that Aylesbury
Vale must now plan for higher housing levels.
The council has no realistic choice other than to withdraw
its current plan and it is likely to do this at the beginning of February. This
will lead the district open to unplanned housing developments. Developers will
be able to argue that the area does not have an up-to-date local plan and that
it has failed to identify a five year land supply for housing. They can then cite
the National Planning Policy Framework, which says in this situation the presumption
in favour of sustainable development applies. In these circumstances, planning
inspectors routinely approve housing plans regardless of the wishes of local
councils and communities.
A public inquiry into three housing schemes totalling 3,000
homes at Hampden Fields, Fleet Marston and Weedon Hill on the outskirts of
Aylesbury finished in December. No one should now be surprised if these schemes
are approved under the presumption in favour of sustainable development, even
though they conflict with the draft Vale of Aylesbury Plan.
Developers have been bidding to build over green fields around
Winslow. Gladman Developments is now likely to appeal over the refusal of a
scheme at Shipton, and push for housing schemes elsewhere around the town. It
is a moot point whether the draft Winslow neighbourhood plan will offer any
protection in the new circumstances. There is also a question whether the neighbourhood
plan can be completed until the level of housing needed in the Vale of
Aylesbury is resolved.
Why do we have to have so much more housing in Aylesbury Vale?
ReplyDeleteBecause according to the planners there are going to be large numbers of people looking for housing in Aylesbury Vale who will be working in the Milton Keynes area or in the southern parts of the county where the local economy is expanding.. As we know there will be few jobs available in Aylesbury Vale so this means that all these new residents will need to travel long distances to work which will put tremendous strain on the roads which are already near to full capacity at peak hours.
DeleteThis represents a big challenge for the local authority who need to build more and more houses to satisfy the planners, but this puts huge pressure on the local infrastructure
where the money is tight and often available to build new roads,schools etc to accomomodate these proposed housing developments.
The Council's planning mess & the risk of development approval as a result is disturbing & seems somewhat irrational.
ReplyDelete