1.1 The Buckingham Neighbourhood Development Plan (the Plan) is part of a new wave of powers for localities which was brought in with the Localism Act 2011 and subsequently The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. Under these regulations the Plan is deemed a Neighbourhood Development Plan. 1.2 The Plan sets out the vision for the town of Buckingham until 2031. To ensure that this vision is achieved the Plan issues clear planning policies which are in general conformity with other planning policies namely the saved policies of the Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan (AVDLP). 1.3 Wide ranging and extensive consultation has taken place with members of the public, stakeholders and statutory consultees to ensure that the vision and planning policies reflect the aspirations, desires and needs of the town until 2031. 1.4 A number of consultation events have taken place since the conception of the idea of producing the Plan; these encompassed a number of different methods and allowed the whole community to participate in the formulation of the Plan. How the Plan fits into the Planning System 1.5 The BNDP provides for 617 dwellings and in addition, for 400 student units, in light of the current student population of Buckingham, and the projected growth of the University of Buckingham. 1.6 Housing numbers must be in general conformity with the Local Plan. The housing allocations from the AVDLP 2004 have now been taken up and completed. 1.7 With the in a new Local Plan emerging, a decision was taken to base the housing numbers within the Plan by using the DCLG (Department of Communities and Local Government) 2012-based household projections in England [Table 406], which were higher than the figures being used to prepare the now withdrawn Vale of Aylesbury Plan. Buckingham has seen a significant amount of housing development in recent years and has a noted problem with accommodating the transient student population, which affects the local housing market. Despite a significant inherent
community through developer contributions, New Homes Bonus and/or Community Infrastructure Levy. Improve movement into and around the town in a healthy and safe manner; specifically cycling, walking and ease of access for the disabled. Encourage a reduction in the carbon footprint of Buckingham by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. Mitigate, and improve the capability of the town to deal with flooding. Housing and phasing Main comments raised during the consultation include: Need for affordable housing A good mix of housing is needed Interest in Self-Build Desire for Employment and Infrastructure improvements before housing Objective: Provide a diverse housing stock to meet the needs of existing and future local people. Design, heritage and environment Main comments raised during the consultation include: Want to see preservation of trees in the town Desire to see the roof line of the town preserved Need to have buildings of good quality design Ensure that new development has good parking Prevention of surface water flooding through design Objective: Conserve and enhance the town’s historic environment and its setting. Objective: To maintain and increase the Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity of Buckingham. Objective: Provide minimum design requirements to ensure appropriate development in the town, building on the work of the 2001 Vision & Design statement. Culture, leisure health Main comments raised during the consultation include: Desire to maintain the existing green space Develop linear parks Development of a canal area Preservation of St. Rumbold’s Well Demand for new social, cultural, leisure and health facilities Objective: Encourage development that strengthens culture, leisure, and play facilities in the town. Objective: Promote measures to improve the health of people living and working in Buckingham including the provision and retention of facilities locally. Objective: Maintain the quality of Buckingham’s parkland and green space, in particular its ‘green heart’.
Stratford Fields March Edge Overn Avenue Land behind Castle House Land at the end of Verney Close Extension of the Riverside Walk 4.14 This will be achieved by designating these sites as Local Green Space under the new powers in NPPF. 4.15 It also highlights significant space provision on the following sites: Site G Site H Site I Cemetery and Allotments 4.16 Following the need identified by the Town Council for cemetery and allotment provision, a site of the A421 (Site F) has been identified to meet the long term need. Fig. 4.1 Cemetery 4.17 The principles of the AVDC Green Infrastructure Strategy have been incorporated throughout the policies. The Market Town of Buckingham in 2031 4.18 Through the policies of the Plan the town has grown. New people, employment and retail have come to the town. However, the traditions of Buckingham have been kept alive. The development which has taken place in the Town Centre has been complementary to the existing building scape. This has enabled the town to conserve and enhance the town’s historic environment and its setting. 4.19 The new residents and retail in the town centre have contributed to the continuation of the town’s markets and ensuring Buckingham continues as a market town well into the future. The Plan 4.20 The Neighbourhood Plan will be monitored year to ensure that it is aiding in the progression of the development of Buckingham.
Town Centre Insert Map Figure 4.3 5. Introduction to Policies 5.1 This section sets out the policies that make up the Buckingham Neighbourhood Development Plan; these are based upon the Vision outlined for Buckingham. 5.2 The policies are set out in the 6 themes which were identified in the Scoping Report. These are: Housing and phasing Design heritage and environment Culture, leisure, health Economy and education Infrastructure Developer Contributions 5.3 After looking at best practice each theme will have its own chapter. These chapters are structured in the same way: A table setting out the theme, objectives and policy headings Each objective is set out with explanatory text Each policy (under the objective) is highlighted and then supported by text which
6.9 The density of development should create a character that is appropriate to the site’s context. 6.10 Windfall sites should have good connections as highlighted in other policies of this Plan. 7. Design, Heritage and Environment OBJECTIVE POLICY Conserve and enhance the town’s historic environment and its setting DHE1 – Protect existing trees and provision of trees in developments To maintain and increase the Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity of Buckingham DHE2 – Standard of ecological information required to minimise the impact on natural habitats DHE3 – Protection of designated sites and local and national priority habitats and species DHE4 – Protection of movement corridors DHE5 – Biodiversity in Development Landscaping Provide minimum design requirements to ensure appropriate development in the town, building on the work of the 2001 Vision & Design statement DHE6 – Provision of good quality private outdoor space Objective: Conserve and enhance the town’s historic environment and its setting. Key to Buckingham’s character is to retain its ‘feel’ of a Historic Market Town. The main aspect of this is to safeguard and augment the historic core of the town. Community Action – Buckingham Design 7.1 The Town Council will produce a design guide for the Plan area in consultation with AVDC and the Buckingham Society. The Design Guide will conform to the objectives of design guidance set out by the Local Planning Authority. One of the guiding principles of the Design Guide will be ensuring that there will be no onerous requirements that would affect viability of development. It will also seek to protect and enhance the Conservation Area and identify local non-designated heritage assets of this historic market town. DHE1 – Protect existing trees and provision of trees in developments
to be dried and hobbies to be pursued as well as providing an attractive setting for a dwelling and contributing to the overall green space of the area. In respect of proposed family dwellings the Town Council would generally expect to see the provision of private garden space (normally at the rear), of at least 10 metres in length; plot shape may allow for alternative distribution of equivalent amount of private space. 7.14 Gardens should be of appropriate quality i.e. lawned and landscaped to provide a pleasant view and have regard to topography, shadowing and privacy. 7.15 Where there is an existing tree within a proposed plot the type, size and age of the tree should be taken into account in the garden provision and made a feature of the garden. 7.16 In respect of proposals relating to flats, provision can be provided in the form of a communal outdoor space and/or in providing other areas for example balconies. 8. Culture, Leisure and Health OBJECTIVE POLICY Encourage development that strengthens culture, leisure, sport and play facilities in the town CLH1 – Allocate land for a Cemetery CLH2 – Provision of play provision for new developments CLH3 – Allocate land for allotments Promote measures to improve the health of people living and working in Buckingham including the provision and retention of facilities locally. CLH4 – Protection of existing and provision of new health facilities Maintain the quality of Buckingham’s parkland and space, in particular its ‘green heart’. CLH5 – Protection of existing green open space CLH6 – Development of Canal Area CLH7 – Preservation of St. Rumbold’s Well CLH8 – Continuation and expansion of the Riverside Walk Objective: Encourage development that strengthens culture, leisure, sport and play facilities in the town
and viewing of wildlife; protection of green corridors providing connectivity; protection of recreational and play facilities. The following sites have been so designated after public consultation: Pleasant open area – recreational, versatile spaces with wildlife areas in a residential area lacking easy access to similar facilities; Fig 8.5 March Edge – tranquil green corridor providing connectivity to town centre and park from Linden Village residential area; Fig 8.6 Overn Avenue Playing Field – recreational and play facilities secured for western residential areas; Fig 8.7 Stratford Fields – open aspect on town approach from A422 providing much needed sports facilities for the town; Fig 8.8 Land Behind Castle House – tranquil wildlife area providing a green corridor from long-stay car park and western residential areas to the town centre; Fig 8.9 Land at Verney Close – wildlife area within the heart of the town providing interconnecting green corridors to a number of destinations including town centre; main car park; skateboard park and residential areas beyond; and riverside walk and parks; Fig 8.10 Riverside Walk Extension – extending access to Riverside Walk in accordance with CLH8 to existing and new residential and business communities as well as leisure facility for the whole community. Fig 8.11 CLH6 – Development of Canal Area Development will be supported at site B where it would be beneficial to the enhancement and the historic significance of the former and current canal arm as either a working waterway; as a tourist attraction; of the provision of tourist accommodation; to develop the area for green space, sports provision or leisure, or a combination of any of the above. Development will be supported where there is provision of a towpath which will be large enough to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users with the aim of creating a cycle / walking route alongside the canal towards Cosgrove. 8.18 This is to aid the Buckingham Canal Society in redeveloping the
Buckingham Arm of the Grand Union Canal. The aim is to re-open the canal as a working water way with links through to Cosgrove. CLH7 – Preservation of St. Rumbold’s Well A new park is to be created at St. Rumbold’s Well as part of the development of Site G. Development of the area including and surrounding St. Rumbold’s Well will be supported where the Well is made a “main feature” of the park and where there are good footpath and cycleway links, including access onto the scenic/railway walk subject to there being no substantial harm to the scheduled ancient monument, unless substantial public benefits are demonstrated to outweigh that harm. This is intended to provide green walkways/cycleways for access to education facilities. Support will be given should development on Site J be incorporated to be included in this provision. Figure 8.12 8.19 St. Rumbold’s Well is a key site in the town. It is a scheduled ancient monument and therefore its preservation is not only highly important but necessary. 8.20 The new park should contain an information to include interpretation relating to the Well; the specification and type to be agreed with Buckingham Town Council. CLH8 – Continuation and expansion of the Riverside Walk Development schemes adjacent to the must provide for a public pedestrian/cycle route and amenity spaces, which must include seating and space for other activities such as picnicking, alongside the river Great Ouse. Any buildings bound the Riverside walk must be designed to overlook the area, to provide an additional security feature. 8.21 Where possible connections should be made to the existing riverside walk network, and there should be new pathways created within the development to the new riverside walk. 8.22 The desire for the continuation and expansion of the Riverside Walk has been a long held policy of the Town Council and is a saved policy within AVDLP (BU11). The need for the retention of the policy was reflected within the public consultation. 9. Economy and Education OBJECTIVE POLICY Foster the economic development of the town and its hinterland by EE1 – Allocate land for employment development
necessary. The development of employment land must accord with the following requirements Appropriate vehicular access from existing sites or minor roads A pedestrian / cycle link must be provided to proposed or existing cycleways Improvements to pedestrian / cycle links into Buckingham New footpaths or cycleways on site should be overlooked but not dominated by buildings and well lit so that users feel secure Positive building frontages and landscaping must overlook the site access. Have a buffer between the proposed employment land and any existing housing provision to ensure that new buildings are not overbearing on existing buildings Fig. 9.1 9.3 The employment site should be aimed at high quality jobs principally in office/business use and hi-tech office/industrial use. This would complement the developments taking place at Silverstone. Uses other than B8 will be preferred, B8 usage will be granted if it can be shown that attempts have been made “to market”, at a suitable market rate, the site/unit for other B-use classes for a reasonable period of time. 9.4 During public consultation it was highlighted that people felt that B8 storage or distribution would not be suitable in Buckingham due to its low ratio of jobs and likely increase in volume of traffic. EE2 – Allocation of land for retail, office and mixed development Proposals will be supported for new mixed used developments at the locations shown in figures 9.3, 9.4 & 9.5. Office usage on upper floors, with residential development permitted on upper floor levels where the primary ground floor frontage is A1, A2, A3, A4 or A5 will be supported. This policy would only be applicable should the sites become available. Fig. 9.3 Sorting Office/Telephone Exchange Site Fig. 9.4 Wharf Yard Site Fig. 9.5 Market Hill 9.5 Proposals should focus on providing a vibrant town centre through retail usage. There is support for this policy in the Evidence Base (paragraphs 1.45-1.72) and through the Site Assessments for these areas. 9.6 Proposals may include provision for Town Centre car parking (please see policy EE5). 9.7 New or redevelopment schemes should provide good access to surrounding facilities and retail areas. Fig. 9.6 Town Centre Area EE3 – Development of the town centre Applications will be supported for new town centre uses (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5,
9.19 Through the expansion of the University new facilities are needed to provide academic space and other facilities associated with a university. . Fig. 9.9 University Sites 10. Infrastructure OBJECTIVE POLICY Improve movement into and around the town in a healthy and safe manner. Specifically promoting cycling, walking and ease of access for the disabled. I1 – New disabled access requirement for new pedestrian routes Encourage a reduction in the carbon footprint of Buckingham by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. I2 – Renewable energy generation I3 – Rainwater collection Mitigate and improve the capability of the town to deal with flooding. I4 – Development upon the plain I5 – Sewage Management Fig 10.1 Town View Objective: Improve movement into and around the town in a healthy and safe manner. Specifically promoting cycling, walking and ease of access for the disabled. Enabling better connectivity by road will enable better transport links both for business and pleasure; also, by providing additional green infrastructure networks, it will reduce the town’s reliance on road transport and ensure a healthier town. Ensuring good disabled access will allow all to benefit from the new development within the town. 10.1 The Town Council strongly supports the provision of good connections, via pedestrian and cycle links, with the existing town, footpaths, bridleways, and other potential destinations. Section 4 sets out details in this regard. 10.2 “Good connections” that: Routes should follow desired lines and clearly link potential destinations.
be enhanced, along with pedestrian and cycle access along Tingewick Road and linking to the Railway Walk. Site I Fig. 12.3 Site I 3.67(ha) is allocated for and has site specific requirements for: Around 100 dwellings over 2.62 ha of land. Separate Area of, or exceeding, 0.44 ha for employment land Green Space should be focused in the north of the site to aid with any future expansion of the Riverside Walk 12.19 The site is to the south west of the town. Currently the site is an industrial estate. Through previous studies carried out by the District Council, it has been found that the current provision does not meet the current demand in relation to the structures on site. 12.20 The site is bounded to the east by retained employment land. The land to the east is currently employment land; however it has permission for 89 dwellings and a small proportion of employment land. To the north west and west is green space. The boundary on the west is the former railway line (with part of this incorporated into the site). It forms part of the Bernwood Walk and offers good pedestrian connections via the rest of the scenic and railway walks. 12.21 There are opportunities to integrate the site with other proposed sites, with good pedestrian and cycle routes enabling good interaction with other buildings and sites. 12.22 Coupled with the further development planned for Tingewick Road, there is a potential for creating enhanced transport links. 12.23 If the green space is developed to the north of the site there is the potential for an integrated space which would be an ideal extension to the riverside walk to link it in the scenic/railway walk. Site J Fig. 12.4 Site J (1.77ha) is allocated for and has site specific requirements for: Around 39 dwellings over 1.77 ha of land. Linked with providing dwellings for older residents Relocating tree provision from the centre of the site to result in no over overall loss of bio diversity 12.24 Site J is to the south west of the town and on the south east is bordered by St. Rumbold’s Well, a scheduled ancient monument. The site is well defined to the north/north west of the site by Tingewick Road which forms a main approach into the town centre. Development of the site will enable better connections into the town centre, through development of a pedestrian and cycle route. 12.25 To the east of the site is the scenic walk with potential for good pedestrian links with the walk and St.