Valley Farm homes scheme being debated this afternoon

Aylesbury Vale District Council’s strategic development management committee will discuss the Paul Newman Homes scheme from 1pm.

Ahead of that meeting, a 21-page report just published by AVDC case officer Claire Bayley suggests that councillors throw the scheme out because the adverse impacts “significantly and demonstrably outweigh the housing and economic benefits of the proposal”.

She writes: “It is acknowledged that the proposal would offer public benefits in terms of its contribution to the council’s land supply and economic benefits as a result of population growth and investment in construction.”

But she adds that the development of the Greenfield site would “result in an obtrusion into open countryside with significant adverse impacts on the rural character and appearance of the site and its surroundings.”

The report adds that the scheme fails to make adequate provision for the educational needs of residents of the proposed development.

Although situated in a field off Derwent Road in Linslade, the site falls in the parish of Soulbury, within the jurisdiction of Aylesbury Vale District Council.

Soulbury Parish Council supports the scheme, however Leighton-Linslade Town Council, CPRE Beds, Central Beds Council, plus MPs Andrew Selous and John Bercow have all registered their objections.

To date there have also been more than 700 letters received by AVDC, the majority against the proposal.

In 2010, Paul Newman Homes submitted a planning application to build 900 houses. But despite having had the plan turned down and then losing an appeal, it decided to present “a carefully-designed and sustainable scheme” to change the minds of residents and councillors.

> More follows later...