District council proposes reduction in number of homes built in Aylesbury Vale

The proposal is part of ongoing work on the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan – which was originally thrown out in 2014 after it was deemed 'unsound and inadequate.'

The reduction in housing numbers - from 31,500 to 30,100 - comes in response to the interim findings of the independent planning inspector.

A reduction was suggested following the inspector's findings that the Oxford to Cambridge Arc should not require extra housing in addition to those already proposed in the plan.

Aylesbury Vale District Council is also asking the inspector for his view on how this change in numbers will affect the increased number of housing sites that he requested in close proximity to Milton Keynes, and is asking if an early review of the plan is necessary.

The planning inspector will have the final say on whether the district council's proposed new housing number is acceptable.

While they wait for confirmation on this, the district council are working on more changes to the local plan - a process they say will involve 'gathering a significant amount of new evidence and revising several policies.'

This is not the first time a change has been made to the proposed number of homes required for the Vale - in October 2018 it was changed from 27,400 to 31,500.

If and when changes to the plan are agreed with the inspector there will be six weeks of public consultation on the latest round of changes.

The district council say they are hopeful this consultation will take place in spring 2019 and that the plan can be adopted in the middle of the year.

Cllr Carole Paternoster, the district council's cabinet member for strategic planning and infrastructure said: “The Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan is a major undertaking for all those involved.

"AVDC and the independent planning inspector are both working to secure the best possible plan for Aylesbury Vale.

"That will be a VALP which takes account of the predicted changes and challenges ahead and creates opportunities for the construction of the housing that will be needed, in locations where infrastructure can support communities whilst maintaining the character of the Vale.”

The district council say the adoption of the local plan will not be affected by the creation of the new unitary council, to be called The Buckinghamshire Council, next year.