During the consultation events there emerged some concerns with new housing:
- Well Designed New homes needed but there must be appropriate infrastructure as well
Talking Points:
- Just because a Plan allocates new homes, it does not follow that not having a Plan allocating new homes, means that there will be no development. Speculative developers rely on the presumption in favour of sustainable development in planning law, especially in the absence of an up-to-date plan.
- Brownfield development is preferred, but Buckingham has been very successful in building on brownfield over at least the last 10 years, so the potentially available sites identified may not generate enough new homes for the independently assessed need for the town until 2040.
- Two sites have been allocated – one to the east beside the Canal; the other to the west, supplementing the developing community already in existence.
- The canal site will provide a community/interpretive centre for the Buckingham Canal Society, and help manage the canal area for public access.
- The larger site to the west will provide a new primary school, amongst other amenities.
- All the new homes will be required to meet the Design Code contained within the Plan.
- Contributions as required for Health facilities
- Buckinghamshire Council has stated the intention to introduce the Community Infrastructure Levy to the former AVDC area. This will mean that with a Neighbourhood Plan, Buckingham Town Council will receive 25% of this levy for local projects.
The Plan will deliver:
- Control to local residents.
- 1,254 new homes with approximately 35% affordable homes within that with further supporting infrastructure;
- A new Primary School
- A Community Interpretative Centre by the Canal
- Enforceable Design Code
- Contributions towards health facilities
- Support for sewerage arrangements to be operational before occupation of new homes
- Potential 25% Community Infrastructure Levy for local projects