Landmark housing development gets green light

A major housing development has been given the green light by Aylesbury Vale District Council.

Outline planning permission has been granted for 3,000 homes to be built on the Berryfields farmland on the outskirts of Aylesbury.

The new development area, covering 185 hectares to the north and south of the A41 Bicester Road, will provide a range of facilities to create a new community.

As well as additional educational provision, there are plans for a district centre with shops and community facilities, land for employment uses, play areas and open space.

The development at Berryfields will also benefit from a new transport interchange comprising a railway station, bus based park and ride facilities and around 400 car parking spaces. These improvements tie into the town centre public transport hub which is currently taking shape.

The Berryfields planning application was agreed by AVDC’s development control committee in December 2006, but was subject to planning agreements being signed with the developers. Since then, both AVDC and Buckinghamshire County Council have negotiated with the developers to secure the provision of significant contributions which will enable improvements to services such as highways, public transport, education and leisure.

The first stage of work, scheduled to start within the next few months, will be to improve and create new accesses off the A41 and put in infrastructure such as the main roads, drainage and services.

House-building is likely to start later in 2008 with development continuing on the site for some 10 to 12 years. At least 10 per cent of the homes will be low-cost housing and 30 per cent will be affordable housing (for rent or shared ownership).

Councillor Carole Paternoster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning at AVDC, said: “It has taken a long time for this new mixed-use scheme to reach this stage, but I’m very pleased that work can now begin on this major project. This development will play an important role in the growth of Aylesbury and will help us achieve our housing targets. Most importantly, Berryfields also includes employment development, so we can secure the new jobs we need in order to create a sustainable community. The new infrastructure secured by this development will bring major benefits to the area.”

Councillor Martin Tett, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “It’s very important that we balance growth with protecting the environment and providing the essential infrastructure to enable us to develop truly sustainable communities. This agreement will hopefully provide the basis of doing both for the people of Aylesbury.”

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Notes to editors:

Aylesbury is an important growth area in the south east region with an additional 15,000 new homes planned to be built in the urban area between 2006 and 2026. Around a quarter of the total new houses will be built in the major development areas of Berryfields and Weedon Hill to the north of the town.

Taylor Wimpey, Banner Homes, Kier Residential and Martin Grant Homes will develop the Berryfields Major Development Area.

The agreements negotiated by AVDC and BCC secure:-

3,000 homes of which 30 per cent are affordable homes for rent or shared ownership
An additional 10 per cent low cost homes
Three schools, with one being a physical focus for community facilities, including a new library, playing fields and adult learning
13 equipped play areas, including four larger “neighbourhood” facilities, spread throughout the development
Approximately 70 hectares of parks and informal open space including the creation of the riverside park and areas of strategic planting and landscape buffers
Network of footpaths, cycle paths and bridleways throughout the development and linking to Weedon Hill and the town (including two new pedestrian bridges over the River Thame)
An equipped temporary community centre pending the completion of the permanent facilities
Financial contributions to bring forward community arts programme
Nine hectares of employment land
A new district centre to serve this community with shops (including a “local” sized food store) and some offices
Land for a new health centre
Requirements that the open market housing meets sustainability standards (75 per cent good and 25 per cent very good against the EcoHomes standards) in addition to the special requirements set for affordable homes
A comprehensive scheme of sustainable urban drainage (SUDS)
Improvements to the River Thame (eg re-profiling the banks in places) to improve water flow, manage flood risk and enhance biodiversity
Mitigation measures to protect the Quarrendon Scheduled Ancient Monument (including interpretation facilities)
Mitigation measures for protected species and over-wintering birds
Design codes to translate the principles of the Development Brief for each of the identified character areas within the scheme
Improvements to A41 to enhance road access to the town centre (including bus lanes and junction improvements)
Land for Park and Ride adjacent to the new Berryfields station
Public transport subsidy to allow new bus services to operate as soon as 150 dwellings have been built
Construction of western link road between A41 and A413 (includes part of Weedon Hill Major Development Area site)
Financial contribution towards traffic-related measures at Waddesdon
Contribution towards transport improvements in the town centre (Hub Project)

For interviews, please contact:

Councillor Carole Paternoster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning at AVDC, 01296 585717
Councillor Martin Tett, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning at Buckinghamshire County Council, 01296 382691
John Byrne, Head of Planning Services at AVDC, 01296 585678
James Fox, Developer Contributions Co-ordinator at Buckinghamshire County Council, 01296 382745

Issued by:

David Dean, Media Officer, 01296 585099, ddean@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk