Paul Newman Homes say their scheme is still in the early stages, but the plan will utilise land west of Derwent Road that is outside the protected Green Belt.

The Milton Keynes building company, which has a track record for sustainability, revealed some details about their scheme for a west Linslade urban extension into Buckinghamshire at a planning conference in Luton this week.

The news has been welcomed by some people who see the initiative as a way in which council planners can meet government housing growth targets without agreeing to the massive 4,400 development in East Leighton. The scheme would come on top of the 4,000 homes already being built in south Leighton.

Ann Gates, of the residents' action group, LOUD, said: "The good thing about the land is that it is not Green Belt and is the only site in the (planning) options that isn't.

"It also has no flooding issues, is close to the railway station, does not require the construction of any major roads and has good north-east transport links onto the A4146 and A505.

"There is also no risk of coalescence between existing settlements and is near to good community facilities.

"The main downside to the development site is that, because it is only 75 hectares (185 acres) and only able to sustain some 1,000 dwellings, the town council will always be against it with regards to the lack of infrastructure needs for the town."

Sara Crann, clerk to Heath and Reach Parish Council, whose village is under threat from the encroachment of a possible eastern town expansion, said: "A smaller development to the west of Linslade would not immediately affect any of the villages unlike the larger proposed Eastern LB development.

It would deliver a more appropriate level of growth for Leighton Linslade in a more sustainable manner.

"Surely Leighton Buzzard building thousands of homes already to the south of the town and possibly a further 1000 to the west would be more than enough to contribute to development for the growth area?"

Campaigner and Beds county councillor, Rhys Goodwin, who is fighting for guaranteed infrastructure for Leighton-Linslade ahead of house-building said: "New housing MUST NOT damage existing business, jobs and communities.

"Backbone public transport, road, medical, and services infrastructure are essential and cannot be provided by the developer.

"I agree with the principle that Leighton already has both north/south and east/west bypasses but South Beds roads, rail stations, towns and villages just cannot stand any more congestion."

A spokesman for Paul Newman New Homes said: "We have brought together a full planning team, and secured agreement with the landowner, to develop and deliver a sustainable extension to the town, west of Linslade.

"We will be developing plans the over the next months in close consultation with the community, with a view to furthering the scheme through the planning process.

"The scheme would deliver an appropriate scale of development for Leighton-Linslade of up to 1,000 homes, together with employment and community facilities, on non-green belt land, next to the Western Linslade Bypass."

*PLANNERS are announcing in June which areas of South Beds will be designated for new housing as part of the Milton Keynes growth area but residents are still being urged to have their say on where and if they want development in their area.

Public consultations about the draft proposals will take place this summer and a definitive map is not likely to be published until January 2009.

With the joint committee's preferred options will come details about which areas of the district will have its Green Belt rolled back.

Any decision on a controversial planning application by Arnold White Estates and Willis Dawson Holdings to build in East Leighton is not likely to be made until the Green Belt revision has taken place.

*THE planning officers responsible for deciding the vital roll-back have spoken exclusively to the LBO about their weighty decision. Read their interview next week.

*Do you think west Linslade can sustain 1,000 new homes? Give us your views on the scheme. Write to anne.cox@lbobserver.co.uk