ARMSTRONG RIGG PLANNING
Site: Moreton Road, Buckingham
Client: Bellway Homes & Bellcross Co. Ltd
ARP have worked with Bellway across two local plan periods to support the delivery of 410 new homes across three separate phases at the edge of the settlement of Buckingham.
The latest phase (phase 3) to the west of Phase 1 is an allocated site in the adopted Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP). ARP had acted on behalf of Bellway in securing this allocation.
A detailed application was brought forward with the intention that homes could be delivered sooner, making a positive contribution to the Council's housing supply in line with that planned through the VALP. Regrettably, despite the sites allocation, its path to achieving planning permission has not been straightforward. Delays in the adoption of the VALP and in the processing of the application meant that Buckinghamshire Council resolved to grant permission some 31months following the validation of the application and 12 months following the adoption of the VALP.
Following representations made by the local MP to the SoS prompted by the Town Council, the application was the subject of a holding direction for 5 months before being called-in for determination. Common with a number of applications the SoS called-in at this time (May 2023) the matters which the SoS wished to be informed about were:
In order to present a comprehensive and robust case in support of the application, ARP instructed leading planning counsel and coordinated the consultant team to present evidence in front of the Call-In Inspector on matters of design; transport; ecology; landscape impact; flood risk and planning.
In his decision in March 2024, a further 18 months following the Council's resolution to grant, the SoS agreed with the recommendation of the Inspector to approve the application finding that it accorded with the development plan, was consistent with the design policies of the Framework including its emphasis on the role of beauty in planning. Furthermore, consistent with our evidence it was accepted that the delivery of market and affordable housing and substantial areas of high quality public open space carried significant weight in favour of the application.
