Our new contact details are as follows:

Richard Harrington – Managing Director – please call 07738314085

Liz Thomas – Project and Development Manager – please call 07738314086

For further details on the current status of planning policy in Aylesbury Vale please log onto http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/planning-building/ or contact AVDC’s Plans Team on 01296 585439 or email avldf@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk.

Changes to this website which will reflect the change in planning policy are underway.

Core strategy –Aylesbury Vale District Council has asked the Government for permission to withdraw its Core Strategy, following the Government’s decision to scrap regional strategies and their accompanying housing targets.  Councillors say they want to reconsider how many new homes they think  the district needs. Original targets set a total of 21,000 new homes between 2006 and 2026, but this figure is now likely to be reduced.

Berryfields – Meanwhile, work is progressing quickly on the Berryfields development, which will result in 3,000 new homes and community facilities on land adjacent to Aylesbury Parkway station. Taylor Wimpey expect their first  show home to be ready in the next few weeks. AVA played a key role in enabling the project, which was also selected as a finalist in this year’s Homes and Communities Awards.

Electricity supply – AVA and the electricity company EDF are making “good progress” in talks which will help secure sufficient energy supplies for  Aylesbury Vale  in the coming years.

Board decisions – The AVA board, at its September meeting, agreed to fund £10,200 from AVA funds to enable the conclusion of the Aylesbury Town Centre plan; and to provide more than £18,000 to commission studies which will assist decision-making on providing sustainable access in Buckingham, including car parking arrangements.

Local Investment Plan- A Buckinghamshire Local Investment Plan (LIP) has been forwarded to the Homes and Communities Agency for consideration before the Comprehensive Spending Review, which is being announced this month.  The plan identifies the investment that will be needed to ensure Buckinghamshire  remains prosperous, enterprising and environmentally sustainable into the mid 2020s, and has been prepared by private, public and voluntary sector representatives.

Local Enterprise Partnerships – The Government is expected to announce which Local Enterprise Partnership (LEPs) will be formed before the end of the year. The LEPs will take over some of the responsibilities of the former Regional Development Agencies and 57 proposals have been put forward from around the country. They include a LEP for Thames Valley Buckinghamshire; another for Thames Valley Berkshire and another for South East Midlands. AVA will be staying in close touch with developments.

 The development wouldn’t be underway now if AVA had not stepped in at a time when the recession was taking a grip to unlock problems through the use of growth funds. You can find out more by checking out our website, www.aylesburyvaleadvantage.co.uk

 Berryfields award – AVA’s Managing Director Richard Harrington made a presentation in July on the role the organisation played in making Berryfields a reality. AVA has been shortlisted for its work in this year’s Homes and Communities Awards, and Richard’s presentation will be to judges from the Homes and Communities Agency and the magazine Regeneration and Renewal.

 Housing completions – Figures just released show that 795 new homes were completed in Aylesbury Vale in the year to the end of March, of which 513 were affordable units. A further 736 new homes were under construction as of 31 March.

 The recession affected Aylesbury Vale’s housing delivery target, but not as severely as other parts of the country, and AVA has played an important role in keeping initiatives rolling. Further phases of development are continuing at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and the former Princess Mary hospital site in Wendover.

 Aylesbury town centre – AVA hosted a workshop for county, district and town councillors on Aylesbury’s Town Centre Plan at the end of June.  The event enabled councillors to consider informally how they would like to see the town centre progress, and they watched presentations outlining how far we have already travelled in transforming Aylesbury’s town centre in recent years.  AVA will be hosting another presentation at the end of the summer once councillors have added their input.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking towards the opening of AVDC’s Waterside Theatre in October.

AVA has played a part in the regeneration of this central part of the town by providing  up to £2.5m worth of investment – subject to certain conditions – that will help provide a pleasing environment and innovative design in the area immediately around the theatre. The funds will also help towards the demolition of the Civic Centre – another part of the Waterside regeneration – which also began this month.

 Boosting broadband – The new homes in Berryfields will all have access to super-fast broadband. However, that’s not the case for many homes in Buckinghamshire, particularly in villages and other rural areas. That’s why AVA’s Board has agreed to support Buckinghamshire Economic and Learning Partnership’s programme to vastly increase broadband speeds throughout the county, and help businesses and individuals become more economic and competitive. They’ve agreed to grant £80,000 of growth funds towards the project.

 When complete, Berryfields will accommodate 3,000 homes, community facilities and areas for employment opportunities. Around a quarter  of the homes will be affordable and all will have access to super-fast Broadband. An access road to neighbouring Aylesbury Parkway Station is already in place.

There is provision for three schools –  two primary schools and the proposed state-of- the-art Aylesbury Academy. The purpose-built academy will offer students skills in  specialist science and technology  and include the very latest ICT technology.

 Opposite the academy will be a local centre, which will include a food store and 10 other smaller shops. Elsewhere will be units  for employment and 72 hectares of parks and green open spaces, which will include 13 equipped play areas.

The first tranche of new homes on the 187 hectare site will be ready for occupation next year. Taylor Wimpey is the first developer to begin work, with  others following later in the year.

 Councillor Michael Edmonds, Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “We are one of the most prosperous and fastest growing areas of the country and the start of work on Berryfields is a significant milestone in the continuing development of the Vale.”

 Martin Tett, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment,  said: “We have worked closely with our partners to ensure the Berryfields development provides a real community for people.  We’ve not only made provisions for schools, community and adult learning facilities but we are also encouraging businesses to locate to the area as the development has nine hectares of land allocated for employment and a link road between the A41 and the A413.

 Steve Rolt, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey, said: “Berryfields is an exciting new community offering a wealth of choice for all home-buyers and fulfilling a long-standing need to provide high-quality housing for local people.

 “Located on the edge of picturesque open countryside, yet within easy reach of Aylesbury town centre, Berryfields looks set to become the destination of choice for house-hunters in the area. The new homes will enjoy superb transport links, schools and community facilities, plus acres of public open space on the doorstep.”

Richard Harrington, Managing Director of Aylesbury Vale Advantage, the delivery agency company partly funded by the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency, said: “Fortunately, we were able to use  growth funds to unlock problems that could have further delayed the start of this work. This is an important development for Aylesbury Vale and will go a good way to demonstrate what the town can offer. We are concentrating on preparing other major development sites to provide housing, employment and community facilities for this popular and growing area.”

 Ian Steed, Area Manager at the Homes and Communities Agency, said: “The HCA has worked closely with Aylesbury Vale District Council and our partners to unlock this important site after the economic downturn put plans on hold. I’m delighted that work is now underway and the local community will soon begin to benefit from sustainable and affordable places to live and work.”

Welcome to the June 2010 newsletter from Aylesbury Vale Advantage (AVA), the delivery agency for the Aylesbury Vale growth area.

Berryfields– Work on one of Aylesbury Vale’s biggest developments gets underway in the next few weeks.  Berryfields, which is being developed alongside the A41 and by the Aylesbury Parkway rail station, will see 3,250 homes being built over the next few years. In addition the development includes the  Aylesbury Vale Academy – providing students with high tech skills –  plus shops,  schools, community facilities and employment areas.

AVA played a key role in unblocking some of the many difficulties  that stood in the way of this crucial development – particularly in the major economic downturn of the last couple of years – by releasing growth funds to enable progress to be made.

Shortlisted for award – Incidentally, AVA has been shortlisted for a national award for its work on Berryfields. Its behind-the-scenes work has been recognised by its shortlisting in this year’s Homes and Communities Awards, co-sponsored by the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency and the magazine Regeneeration and Renewal.

Weedon Hill – Meanwhile, plans are being submitted for the final phase of the successful Weedon Hill housing development, north of the town. The recession affected Aylesbury Vale’s housing delivery target, but not as severely as other parts of the country, and AVA has played an important role in keeping initiatives rolling. Further phases of development are continuing at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and the former Princess Mary hospital site in Wendover.

 Aylesbury Station lifts – AVA was also able to provide growth funding towards a Transport for Buckinghamshire and Chiltern Railways initiative to install lifts at Aylesbury’s central station. The lifts improve accessibility to all those visiting Aylesbury, but in addition  the station is a key transport interchange for patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, many of whom faced difficulties before the lifts were installed because access from one platform to another meant crossing the line.  The lifts will also be invaluable when thousands of disabled athletes and spectators travel to Stoke Mandeville via Aylesbury for the 2012 Paralympics.

Superfast Broadband – AVA’s Board has agreed to contribute £80,000 towards the dramatic expansion of superfast Broadband in the Aylesbury Vale area. With so many businesses and individuals in the area increasingly reliant on top speed Broadband  in order to be economic and competitive, AVA is supporting the Buckinghamshire Economic and Learning Partnership in its programme to vastly increase Broadband speeds in the county.

 Aylesbury Waterside  – One of the highlights of Aylesbury’s year will be the opening of the council’s Waterside Theatre in the autumn.  AVA has played a part in the regeneration of this central part of the town by providing  up to £2.5m worth of investment – subject to certain conditions – that will help provide a pleasing environment and innovative design in the area immediately around the theatre. The funds will also help towards the demolition of the Civic Centre – another part of the Waterside regeneration.

 This multi-million pound regeneration scheme, led by Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council and AVA is just part of a district-wide programme of investment that will help create and sustain the  thousands of new homes and jobs that are planned for the Vale by 2026.

 Infrastructure – AVA continues to play its part in the preparation of proper infrastructure, such as transport links and energy supply, not just for the planned expansion in and around Aylesbury, but in areas such as Silverstone and Buckingham. We’ll have more news in our next  newsletter.

You can find out more about AVA on our website, www.aylesburyvaleadvantage.co.uk

 Builders are  due to start this month on the major development  alongside Aylesbury Parkway Station, which will comprise 3,250 homes plus shops, schools, community facilities and sites for jobs.

 Aylesbury Vale Advantage (AVA) is a delivery agency company tasked with sorting out problems associated with major developments, which often involve a variety of groups and organisations from the public and private sectors.

 AVA was able to speed up the progress of  Berryfields by dealing with complications involving the supply of electricity, the building of the railway station and  obtaining agreements over planning arrangements.

 The behind-the-scenes work has now been shortlisted for a prize in this year’s  Homes and Community Awards, co-sponsored by the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency and the magazine Regeneration and Renewal.

 Richard Harrington, AVA’s Managing Director, said: ”We are very pleased to be shortlisted for this award. Berryfields is a significant development for the future of Aylesbury Vale and we were able to facilitate public and private sector bodies working together to bring it about. We were also able to use Government growth funds to help unblock some of the difficulties.”

 The award winners will be selected in September.

A £650,000 scheme, involving the installation of lifts to make the station fully accessible has just been completed.  This has been funded jointly by the Department for Transport ‘Access for All’ grant, the Rail Industry and growth funding provided via Aylesbury Vale Advantage. 

A further £400,000 scheme is being developed by Chiltern Railways to enlarge the ticket hall and waiting area.  Work is expected to start later this year.  All of these station works complement the other recent town centre improvements including the Transport Hub, Bourg Walk and improved cycling and walking infrastructure.  Collectively these investments will help cater for the expected growth of the town.

Valerie Letheren, Cabinet Member for Transport for Buckinghamshire said:  “These improvements will mean that there will be step free access between trains, the town centre and the bus network.”  She continued:  “It is good to see what can be achieved by bringing funding together from various sources and this scheme will complement the work so far in Aylesbury to improve walking, cycling and bus travel around the town.”

These improvements will mean better access to the town for members of the public travelling to the Olympics in 2012, along with enhanced access to the Paralympic training venue at Stoke Mandeville Statium.

Richard Harrington, Managing Director of Aylesbury Vale Advantage said:  “This is the result of a successful collaboration that combines public and private funds to improve Aylesbury’s facilities and increases accessibility to new and existing customers.”

Graham Cross, Business Development Director at Chiltern Railways said:  “We understand the importance of our stations being accessible for all and we work hard to make sure that passengers who have accessibility requirements get the same high levels of customer service.  We’re delighted that we now have lifts at Aylesbury station and we’re looking forward to delivering the next stage of this investment to further enhance the station environment.”

Pictures above are award winners at the 2009 Bucks Enterprise Awards, held every year in recognition of the significant contribution the private sector in Buckinghamshire makes towards the national economy. 

Aylesbury Vale Advantage  sponsored the ‘Large Enterprise’ category, open to any company with more than 21 employees.

One of Aylesbury Vale Advantage’s key roles is to work with  both public and private sector organisations to facilitate and support growth in the local economy.

Richard Harrington, pictured, at the annual conference of the Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM)  growth area in November 2009.  The event, held in Luton, was attended by a Government minister, local MPs and representatives from development agencies, local authorities and private sector investors  as well as community leaders and people from voluntary bodies.