01/08/2026
Buckinghamshire Labour councillors Chris Chilton for Terriers and Amersham Hill, Councillor Hazel Arthur-Hewitt for Downley and Cllr Majid Hussain respond to the Buckinghamshire Local Plan. The Plan is currently out for consultation.
The draft Local Plan is a positive step forward. It gives Buckinghamshire a long-overdue planning framework and meets housing targets without building on Green Belt land. However, some significant concerns need to be addressed.
The delivery appears to be pushed back into later years. Affordable housing falls far short of what is needed. There is also no clear plan for the infrastructure needed to support thousands of new homes.
There is a shortage of secondary school places in the town. The plan foresees major developments in areas such as Gomm Valley, Hazlemere, Widmer End and Princes Risborough. However, Downley pupils are already being sent to these places because of the lack of local schools.
The draft Local Plan sees parking standards for town centre developments reduced to just 0.5 spaces per bedroom. At the same time, High Wycombe is also set to lose three major car parks near the train station to residential development. There appears to be no clear proposals for replacement parking.
Overall, this is a plan that should be supported. However, we also want to see a strong commitment to improve affordable housing, school provision, infrastructure and local regeneration.
Read all the documents and have your say:
FILL IN THE BUCKS LOCAL PLAN REGULATION 19 CONSULTATION HERE… (Deadline 6th September)
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/planning-building-and-environment/policy-breaches-and-enforcement/buckinghamshire-local-plan/reg-19-consultation/
Image attribution: From the front of the Buckinghamshire Local Plan.
